Kenyan authorities have arrested Muhammad Abdallah Swazuri, the head of the agency that manages public land and Atanas Kariuki Maina, the boss of the state railway, on suspicion of corruption over land allocation for the new $3-billion flagship Nairobi-Mombasa railway.
The line connecting the capital with East Africa’s main port was funded by China and is one of the biggest infrastructure projects of President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose government has embarked on an anti-corruption drive.
Swazuri, the chairman of National Land Commission NLC and Maina, managing director of Kenya Railways Corporation, two of the 14 officials, businesspeople and three companies named in a statement listing arrests that was posted on Saturday on the prosecutor’s office’s Twitter feed.
Public prosecutor Noordin Mohamed Haji ordered the arrests and said in the statement he was preparing to charge the officials.
Kenya last year, inaugurated the more than $3 billion railway. No Chinese companies or individuals were named in the prosecutor’s statement.
Kenya has been hit this year by a spate of scandals related to the alleged theft of hundreds of millions of Kenyan shillings (millions of dollars) by officials from government bodies.
Haji, appointed by Kenyatta earlier this year, is bringing charges against dozens of state officials and businesspeople in a number of court cases that have not yet begun.
The Full List of Arrests
Prof Muhammad Swazuri, chairman, National Land Commission
Mr Tom Aziz Chavangi, secretary/CEO, NLC
Dr Salome Munubi, taxation and valuation director, NLC
Mr Francis Mugo, finance and administration director, NLC
Mr Atanas Kariuki Maina, CEO, Kenya Railways
Mr Victor Wahome Kariuki, land surveyor, Kenya Railways
Mr Elijah Mwenda Nyamu, assistant land surveyor, Kenya Railways
Mr John Mwangi Mwaniki, senior land surveyor, Lands ministry
Ms Caroline Kituyi, registrar of titles, Lands ministry
Mr Peter Ng’ang’a Mburu, registrar of titles, Lands ministry
Ms Gladys Mwikali Muyanga, principal lands registrar officer, Lands ministry
Mr Obadiah Mbugua Wainaina, private surveyor
Mr David Barno Some
Ms Esther Chebet Some alias Esther Fura Some
Dasahe Investments Limited
Keibukwo Investments Limited
Olemetit Estate Limited