Graft diaries: CS Davis Chichir and Senator Mike Sonko

NAIROBI: Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chichir is accused of working to ensure that corrupt deals in the energy sector are successfully executed. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission dossier alleges that a bribe of Sh1.37 billion ($15 million) could have been paid to the Energy CS and Nairobi Senator Mike Sonko if a tender for the planned construction of a new Mombasa-Nairobi oil pipeline was awarded to Sinopec International Petroleum Service instead of Lebanese company Zakhem.

"A case in point is where there was an attempt to influence award of Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) tender costing $500 million (Sh45 billion) to SINOPEC instead of Zakhem," the corruption report handed over to parliament reads.

Other firms eyeing the lucrative contract were China Petroleum Engineering and Construction Corporation, Denis NV, PunjLoyd, Saipem Business Unit Engineering Construction and China Wu Yi Company Limited.

The dossier also alleges the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum is riddled with massive corruption with Chirchir allegedly "perpetrating corruption in the ministry's tenders and procurement services".