Sugar Scandal: Ruto Suspends KEBS Boss & 26 Govt Employees [LIST]

President William Ruto on Wednesday, May 17 suspended Kenya Bureau of Standards Managing Director, Bernard Njiraini and other government officials within KEBS, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI), the National Police Service (NPS), among others.

In a statement signed by Felix Koskei, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, the 27 state employees were accused of releasing condemned sugar unfit for consumption.

"In recognition of the unique mandate of the agencies as vanguards of public health and safety, it is manifest that some officers in the relevant agencies abdicated their responsibilities, at the risk of public harm.

"Consequently, it is noted that the Cabinet Secretaries for National Treasury and Economic Planning, and Investments, Trade and Industry, have sanctioned administrative action to suspend the officers pending investigations," Koskei stated. 

Sugar being sold in a supermarket. /STANDARD DIGITAL

Koskei further noted that Ruto was briefed on the grievous accusations of the irregular and criminal release of condemned sugar scheduled for conversion into industrial ethanol.

The sugar consignment comprising 20,000 bags (each 50kgs), had been imported into the country in the year 2018 and condemned by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for want of expiry date specification.

KEBS condemned the consignment as unfit for human consumption and directed that the consignment be reshipped and destroyed at the owner's cost. KEBS National Standards Council approved destruction through conversion of the consignment for industrial ethanol use.

The industrial ethanol conversion was to be implemented under the joint supervision of KEBS and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), within a multi-agency framework.

"The condition precedent to the conversion were; involvement of all the concerned regulatory agencies; sourcing a distiller through an open and competitive tendering process; and securing the payment of applicable taxes and statutory fees.

"It has since been established that the consignment was irregularly diverted and unprocedurally released. Further, the conditions relating to open and competitive enlisting of the distiller were breached and the applicable taxes were not paid," Koskei 

The suspended officials included;

Kenya Bureau of Standards

Lt. Col (Rtd) Bernard Njiraini, the Managing Director 
Dr Geoffrey Muriira, Director of Quality Assurance and Inspection 
Hilda Keror, Manager Inspection, Mombasa Port Office 
Liston Lagat, Assistant Manager, ICDN Nairobi 
Rono Birgen Chief Manager, ICDN Nairobi 
Stephen Owuor, Principal Officer 
Peter Olima Joseph - Inspector, Mombasa.

Kenya Revenue Authority
Joseph Kaguru
Stephen Muiruri
Mwanja Masinde 
Moses Okoth 
Chacha Hondo
Doris Mutembei
Carol Nyagechi Derick Kago

National Police Service
George Mithamo 
Joel Kirui

Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI)
Bernard Ngumbi
Raphael Mwaka

Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) 
Oscar Kai
Patrick Magut
Joseph Maita Mweni (Port Health),
Isacko Bonai (NEMA)
Stephen Cheruiyot (Anti-Counterfeit Agency)
Daniel Ngugi (KEPHIS)
J. Willy Koskei (EACC)
K. Edwin Ruto (KPA)

The suspension came amidst the shocking rise in sugar prices by 33 per cent in one week, with prices averaging up to Ksh430 from Ksh310, despite the government allowing the duty-free importation of sugar.

President Ruto in just two days has made cold-hard decisions in his government after many poked holes in the timid nature at which he was steering his administration since assuming office on September 15, 2022.

The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) was the first on Ruto's mind as he disbanded the entire board, appointed Irungu Nyakera as the new KEMSA chairperson and fired former Health Principal Secretary (PS), Josephine Mburu, over a Ksh3.7 billion mosquito net scandal, the first accounting officer to be terminated in the Kenya Kwanza government.

"His Excellency The President has been briefed on the complaints of alleged impropriety within the Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) in its management and administration of various medical programmes being undertaken by Kenya in conjunction with our development partners.

"The complaints follow the regular verification of expenditure by the Global Fund with regard to the National Malaria Programme that targets millions of low-income Kenyan households within our nation's malaria-endemic regions. The alleged maladministration on the part of KEMSA is with regard to the procurement of treated mosquito nets for those vulnerable households, which could have led to significant exposure to the disease and an increase in its severity in the endemic regions," Koskei's statement read in part.

To further stamp authority nine months into his first term, Ruto reshuffled seven PSs with Peter Kiplagat Tum re-assigned to the Ministry of Sports from the Ministry of Health and Mary Muthoni Muriuki, who served as the Interior PS in charge of the Correctional Services, taking Mburu's place as PS Public Health & Professional Standards at the Ministry of Health.

PS Mary Muthoni Muriuki shaking hands with President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi. /FACEBOOK.MARY MUTHONI