Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro yet to occupy Sh150 million official residence

Senate Speaker Ekwe Ethuro is yet to occupy a palatial residence in the upscale Karen estate that cost the taxpayer Sh150 million, The Standard can authoritatively report.

Credible sources at the Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) say the house that was purchased in 2012 has been vacant for two years.

"It is in good shape but the speaker has not given us any explanation as to why he has not moved in," said a PSC commissioner.

The source further alleges that Mr Ethuro recently requested for an additional Sh50 million for "repairs and renovations". But when contacted by The Standard, Ethuro dismissed claims that he had refused to move into the house.

"I am supposed to be the beneficiary of the house. I am not the one who buys the house. My employer, PSC, is tasked with buying and furnishing the house. I do not even know how much the house cost," said Ethuro.

He has written to PSC enquiring when he could move in, but said he could not get a concrete response. He also denied claims that he had asked for an extra Sh50 million for renovations.

Ethuro said questions being raised concerning the house were part of supremacy battles within the commission, although he did not provide details of the alleged squabbles.

"I do not even ask for furniture. PSC are supposed to do everything. I have written letters to say I want to occupy the house but they have been telling me that they are working on it. They (PSC) tell me they need to do repairs," he said.

PSC, the source said, is now looking for alternative ways to deal with the matter.

"We may need to allocate the house to someone else because it has been a total waste of funds," the source said. But this revelation is not new, as the exchequer continues to feel the pinch of wastage of public funds. 

Leasing premises

Deputy President William Ruto and Chief Justice Willy Mutunga are yet to occupy their homes that cost the taxpayer Sh700 million.

Ruto, however, holds meetings in his official residence that is complete with an office block, swimming pool, garage, gazebo, generator house, and staff residence.

The Judiciary has on several occasions been faulted for leasing premises and consequently failing to make use of them. Ruto's residence in Karen cost Sh450 million while Mutunga's Runda home cost Sh310 million.