Businesswoman Ann Njeri fails to appear before MPs in probe over Ksh17B oil saga
Businesswoman Anne Njeri Njoroge failed to appear before the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Energy Wednesday following summons to shed light on a contentious Ksh17 billion oil consignment.
According to the committee chair Vincent Musyoka, Njeri sent her apologies to the members on Tuesday evening, saying she was sick and immobile.
She requested to appear before the committee at a later date.
“Late in the evening, we received a letter from Njeri’s lawyers stating that ‘it is with deep regret we inform you that Ann Njeri will not be available as she’s sick and immobile. She will appear at a later date,’” Musyoka said.
Njeri had been summoned to shed light on how the contentious oil deal was crafted.
She was expected to explain the country of origin of the multibillion diesel and the intended destination of the consignment.
Njeri was also expected to give details on the ownership of the consignment including providing documentation to support her claim.
The summons came days after Njeri, who had gone missing resurfaced in Mombasa, claiming she had been abducted.
Njeri told the media that she was abducted shortly after presenting herself to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to file a formal complaint after two firms claimed ownership of the fuel in question.
She claimed that it was her first time to make such an import but accused the government of trying to dispossess her of her property.
The businesswoman insisted that she had genuine documents to prove ownership of the cargo. The Kenya Ports Authority and Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, however, dismissed her documents as “fake”.
While inviting the trader for grilling, the Mwala MP-led committee said their decision to probe the matter was based on the fact that the huge volumes of petroleum oil involved, were likely to distort the market.
This is even after Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition leader Raila Odinga demanded resignation of CS Chirchir and his Treasury counterpart Njuguna Ndungu over the saga.
Raila linked the Ksh17 billion oil consignment to a Government-to-Government oil deal signed by the government in March.
Speaking to members of the press on Monday, November 20, the opposition chief maintained that the oil deal was fraudulent and one hatched to illegally withdraw money from the exchequer to pay shady private firms.
Raila claimed that part of the money was used to finance Njeri in the contentious Ksh17 billion fuel deal that continues to make headlines. The claims were first made by Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah.
“He (Omtatah) was able to establish a link between the Ksh17,224,718,632 which was unconstitutionally withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund in June 2023 to subsidize unnamed private financial enterprises and the Ksh17 billion contested oil shipment between Ms. Njeri and the two Cabinet Secretaries,” Raila said.
“I concur with the senator’s suspicion that Njeri is the ‘private financial enterprises’ funded by the Ksh17,224,718,632 illegally from the Consolidated Fund and received by the Ministry of Petroleum.”
The former prime minister said the two CS had committed criminal offences and should not only resign but also be prosecuted.
“The CS for Energy and Petroleum Chirichir and National Treasury CS Njuguna Ndungu have certainly committed criminal offenses, abused office and gone against the constitution. They stole money from the Consolidated Fund, in addition to spend monies way above what Parliament approved. They must not only resign. They must also be prosecuted,” he added.
Chirchir is expected to appear before the Energy committee for grilling on Thursday.