With just weeks to the end of the term for Principal Secretaries (PSs), the chief blogger of this site has received information that one Nancy Karigithu, the PS for Maritime Authority under the MInistry of Transport is mercilessly looting the institution as her term comes to an end.
CREATION OF THE “MARITIME ATTACHÉ” OFFICE IN LONDON
The outgoing PS Shipping and Maritime Nancy Wakarima Karigithu, conniving with Manoah Esipisu and other officials in the Last Administration, created for herself a MARITIME ATTACHÉ office in London to “articulate maritime issues I foreign governments, stakeholders, and investors”.
However, Kenya’s UK High Commissioner is the bonafide Kenya Permanent representative to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in London. Additionally, Government uses millions to regularly fund officials (from the Ministry of Transport, Kenya Ports Authority, Kenya Maritime Authority, NEMA, etc.,) to attend IMO meetings in London to articulate Kenya’s maritime issues.
Per the established budget, the MARITIME ATTACHÉ office created for Nancy Karigithu will cost the taxpayer Sh47,394,000.00 with Nancy Karigithu earning a monthly salary of Sh815,050.00 and renting an office for Sh600,000.00 per month.
The MARITIME ATTACHÉ office has NO justification, is unsustainable and is an unnecessary taxpayer burden given the Government’s current cost-cutting measure.
2. THE REAL REASON FOR THE CREATION OF THE MARITIME ATTACHE OFFICE
The outgoing PS Nancy Wakarima Karigithu since early 2022 has been going around claiming she will vie for the position of IMO Secretary-General in December 2023.
The outgoing PS Nancy Karigithu now wants to occupy the London MARITIME ATTACHÉ Office from where she hopes to campaign and lobby for the IMO Secretary-General position.
A letter released by the outgoing Ministry of Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary on 22-04-2022 lends credence to this assertion. The said letter stated that the outgoing PS Nancy Karigithu had been appointed “Ambassador and Special envoy for the Blue Economy”. The National Assembly is yet to vet her for the ambassadorial appointment.
The outgoing PS Nancy Karigithu has now turned all her official duties and functions, using public funds, to the sole purpose of creating publicity for herself. Her international gallivanting from Jan. – Oct. 2022 has so far cost the taxpayer over Ksh. 5,000,000.00
THE MARITIME ATTACHE OFFICE IS UNBUDGETED
Outgoing PS Nancy Karigithu’s State Department for Shipping and Maritime DID NOT budget for the MARITIME ATTACHE office she now seeks to occupy. Neither did Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA).
Yet, Nancy Karigithu on 14-10-2022 compelled the Board of Directors of KMA to direct to reallocate Ksh. 47,394,000.00 from KMA’s approved staff training budget and credit to the State Department for Shipping and Maritime.
KMA on Wednesday 19-10-2022 transferred by RTGS the Ksh. 47,394,000.00 to Nancy Karigithu’s State Department for Shipping and Maritime.
It must be noted the amount of Ksh. 47,394,000.00 was intended to defeat Government’s ban on outgoing officials spending more than Ksh. 50,000,000.00
It is an offence under public finance management and anti-corruption legislation to spend public money without an approved budget.
RECOMMENDATION
- Investigation: EACC must investigate and prosecute the suspects who conspired and facilitated the illegality. The main suspects are PS Nancy Karigithu, the KMA Board, John Omingo (KMA Accounting Officer); Edwin Mukhobe Were (KMA Finance Manager); Henry Mwasaru (KMA Head of Department); and Jamleck Mulalya (KMA Financial Accountant).
- CS Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads, Transport and Public Works) must act with urgency to save KMA has now suffered 16 years of Nancy Karigithu’s menace (9 as DG and 7 as PS).
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