Jubilee Party vice-chairman David Murathe finally appeared before the Public Investments Committee on Thursday to answer questions about his involvement in the KEMSA graft scandal.
Murathe, who had been summoned last week, denied any involvement in the business dealings of Kilig and Entec, the two firms at the heart of the Ksh7.8 billion scandal.
“It is very sad when we allow this kind of innuendo. I have never supplied, not even a single mask or PPE. It is so sad people think I am Covid-19 millionaire and everybody is calling me for money,” he said.
Murathe explained that his only involvement was being a guarantor for Kilig Limited.
He said he was requested by Kilig – then under the directorship of Wilbroad Gachoka and a Chinese national Zhu Jinping – to guarantee payments to a Chinese firm trading as ENTEC Technology Limited, the PPE kit’s supplier, so that the firm would be compensated once KEMSA completed the procurement process.
Kilig was awarded a Sh4 billion tender to supply 450,000 personal protective equipment to Kemsa.
When asked to explain how he gave a guarantee without knowing the amount of money involved, Murathe said he only guaranteed the supply of 50,000 PPE kits.
“The use of the word guarantee was not contractual, it was simply a word of comfort that yes, I do know these people. I am not and never been involved in the business of Kilig or Entec, I had no way of influencing KEMSA to pay,” Murathe said.
At the same time, Murathe dragged Deputy President William Ruto into the scandal, claiming that Kilig Limited is owned by allies of the Deputy President and a Chinese national.
“I am not the director of Killig, I did not receive a contract from KEMSA and I did not supply KEMSA. Killig is a company owned by people connected to the DP; they approach people who can finance the company through the lawyer and transfer ownership to the new owners,” Murathe stated.
