Suspended Central Rift Valley Water Works Development Agency CEO Samuel Oruma was yesterday arrested after he was involved in a confrontation with the agency’s board members.

The board members, led by chairman Ndiritu Mathenge, had gone to the water agency offices in Nakuru town to issue the embattled CEO with a suspension letter and announce appointment of Douglas Murei as acting CEO.

Oruma, however, attempted to block them amid allegations that he brandished a pistol, sending everyone scampering for safety.

The matter was reported to the police and officers from Kaptembwo police station rushed to the offices and disarmed him. He was later taken to the station to record his statement over the scuffle.

Oruma, who is being investigated over Sh1.7 billion procurement of the Longisa-Mulot water project, was later sent on leave to allow for investigations into the allegations.

Compulsory leave

“The board took on the matter and on the advice of the government, which is the financier of the projects, has unanimously agreed to send the CEO for a compulsory leave, to allow for investigations into the matter,” Mathenge told the press in Nakuru.

“We have sent the CEO on compulsory leave, we have not sacked him, because everyone deserves a fair hearing and so we will wait for the investigative agency to conclude investigations, so that we can know the next cause of action,” he added.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) is investigating Eng Oruma over allegations of irregular award of a tender for the construction to China Railways No. 10 Engineering Group Ltd at a cost of Sh1.7 billion.

Eng Oruma has been accused of having irregularly and fraudulently approved the change of Specifications from the use of Steel Pipes to Glass Reinforced Pipes (GRP) for the project.

The embattled CEO, according to investigations, approved the pipes despite the concerns that were raised over the GRP pipes which are said to be inferior in terms of quality and much cheaper compared to steel pipes.