Public Accounts Committee to probe recovery of State assets

A watchdog committee is expected to carry out investigations into claims of shoddy recovery of government properties worth billions of shillings at the Coast.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) is set to launch a probe on how the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) negotiated the recovery process through payments for prime properties associated with a business mogul and former Coast MP.

Siaya Woman Representative Christine Ombaka sought a statement from the House following complaints that EACC officials might have bungled the exercise, leading to loss of billions of shillings.

Speaker Justin Muturi directed that the committee chaired by Ababu Namwamba (Budalang'i) probes the matter and reports to the House expeditiously.

PAC is expected to probe fears that the commission might have failed in its role to guide the Government in the recovery of the dues and that it may have undervalued the prime property associated with the former politician.

"I wish to request for a statement from the PAC Chairperson regarding the recovery of public properties at the Coast arising from the negotiations by the EACC court consents reached at the High Court in Mombasa," read the request by Ms Ombaka.

"In his response, the chairperson should tell the House the amount recovered in terms of acreage and current market values in respect to the properties in the said areas," she said.

The property in question is among a series of other cases the anti-corruption agency has been negotiating at the Coast and consent reached in the High Court.

Dr Ombaka also wants the committee to establish the terms of settlement in each case.