Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has denied writing to the Public Service Commission when he headed the Transport docket to renew former Director of Air Accident Investigations Department (AAID), Captain Martyne Lunani’s contract.

The letter, the now Interior CS says, could have been forged.

Captain Lunani, whose tenure at the Ministry was characterized by failure to conduct investigations into air crashes, had earlier also been accused of defrauding the ministry funds, by claiming he had gone to Sudan on official investigation duties for seven days.

CS Murkomen, in a response to the PSC, said he received a letter dated November 25, 2024 with an annexed letter, dated May 6, purportedly authored by him.

He added that he had reviewed the contents of the letter and stated that he had no part in its creation and dissemination.

“I wish to categorically deny having authored the said letter referenced as 20100002101/135 addressed to the Chairperson Public Service Commission. I have reviewed its contents and firmly state that I had no part in its creation and dissemination. The contents of the said letter do not reflect my position or involvement in any matter,” CS Murkomen wrote.

Murkomen, in his letter dated December 2, 2024 and addressed to Mohamed Dagar, the PS State Department for Transport and copied to the CS, Davis Chirchir, also highlighted what he termed glaring inconsistencies in the forged letter.

“A look at the face of the said letter depicts glaring inconsistencies in form. The letterhead used by the author of the letter is from the Office of the Principal Secretary, State Department of Transport while the same is purportedly signed by myself, the then Cabinet Secretary in the Ministry of Roads and Transport,” he wrote.

He added: “At no point have I ever signed letters from the State Department on behalf of the Principal Secretaries. Secondly, the decoration after my name is EGH and not MBS as indicated by the author of the letter.”

The CS urged the relevant investigative agencies to probe Captain Lunani, saying the apparent misuse of his name and signature raised serious concerns of forgery and fraud.

“I respectfully invite the relevant authorities to launch a thorough investigation against the said individual,” he added.

According to the PSC CEO Paul Famba, the Commission did not consider the request for renewal, adding that the uttering of the letter is a matter under criminal investigation.

“The Commission received a letter dated May 6, 2024 referenced 2010002101/135 in the name of former Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Roads and Transport requesting for renewal of petitioner’s contract, however, the commission did not consider the same as the same is a subject of a criminal investigation,” Famba wrote.

According to the PSC records, Captain Lunani was appointed into the public service as an Investigator of Aircraft Accidents with effect from January 17, 2010 for a period of three years contract which was renewable.

On July 17, 2012 the PSC promoted him to the position of Director, Air Accident Investigation for another period of three years. Through a letter dated January 15, 2024, Lunani gave a notice in writing expressing the desire to renew his contract and accordingly initiated a contract renewal process with PSC.

It was however later claimed that he had forged Murkomen’s letter. Several allegations have also been levelled against Capt Lunani including the operations of the department and procurement of services and goods.