Transport and Roads Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen, has initiated legal proceedings against Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, responding to corruption allegations totaling Sh.15.3 billion.
In a letter dated November 29, 2023, Murkomen accused the Senator of defamation, refuting claims that he received a Sh.15.3 billion bribe from China Wu Yi, a Chinese company, earlier in the year.
Through legal channels, Murkomen requested Senator Cherargei to acknowledge the accusation and issue a public apology within a week.
Failure to comply would result in further legal action. The letter emphasized that the accusations had damaged Murkomen’s reputation among the public.
“In view of the above, our instructions are that we demand, which we hereby do, that within seven (7) days from the date of this letter, you do the following:
Accept liability for defamation to give way to negotiations and tender an unqualified apology in writing to our client through the same channels through which you published the offending words,” the letter stated.
It continued, “Take further notice that if you fail to comply with the terms of this demand within the time specified above, we have firm and unequivocal instructions to institute court proceedings against you without any further reference to you.
This will be at your peril as to costs and other incidentals attendant to such court action.”
The allegations arose when Cherargei spoke at the Senate during Murkomen’s appearance to address the state of the country’s roads and infrastructure.
The Senator claimed that Murkomen had already received half of the alleged bribe as a deposit.
“He has visited China severally and you heard on the floor of the House defending Chinese Contractors.
Where will the hustler contractors who voted for us go if you are giving them contexts? Because he received a bribe, and I am daring him to come clean on the allegation of receiving a hundred million US Dollars from China Wu Yi when he visited between June and October,” Cherargei asserted.
Cherargei further contended that the money was stashed in Dubai and challenged Murkomen to disclose the details of the agreement.
The Senator argued that the alleged bribe influenced Murkomen’s support for Chinese contractors over local ones, leaving Kenyan citizens without job opportunities.
“I want him to come out and tell the country because whenever he came to insult me at the funeral, he defended the Chinese Contractors.
Who will defend Kenyans who are contractors, or does it mean that Kenyans can’t do roads? Even slashing and unclogging drainages, do we need Chinese to come and slash, where will our young people who do not have jobs go?” Senator Cherargei questioned.
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