Treasury in Chaos after the Arrest of Top Brass

Kenya’s most powerful ministry, the National Treasury, is in a state of confusion after the arrest of two top officials at the Ministry.

On Monday, the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury Mr. Henry Rotich and his Principal Secretary Mr. Kamau Thugge were arrested and spent the night in cells over their involvement in the Kimwarer-Arror dam scandal.

According to the Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji, Rotich and 27 others facilitated the loss of more than 19 billion shillings meant for the construction of the two dams in Elgeyo Marakwet.

As on Tuesday morning, there was nobody at the helm of the Ministry to oversee the day-to-day activities in what is likely to escalate the crisis.

Read:

• Henry Rotich Surrenders at DCI Headquarters Over the Dam Scandal
• List of 28 Officials, Including Henry Rotich to be Arrested over Arror and Kimwarer Loot

Stepping aside

It is more than 15 hours since the arrest of the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury Mr. Henry Rotich and his Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge but the President is yet to make a statement or appoint individuals in an acting capacity.

In his last State of the Nation address, President Uhuru Kenyatta said that he would ask any government official charged with corruption to step aside and face prosecution outside government.

If the President keeps his word, Rotich and his counterparts are likely to be asked to step aside and others appointed either in acting capacity or to completely assume office.

But will the President keep his word or will he just be angry again and forget about it?

French Finance Minister Cancels Meeting

Prior to their arrest, the Treasury led by Henry Rotich were to have a meeting with French Finance minister Bruno Le Maire whose advance party was already in Kenya to prepare for his landing.

The meeting was to culminate with the signing of bilateral agreements with the Treasury officials for development funding.

The French minister was to arrive yesterday but his trip was canceled last minute.