Jubilee national vice-chairman David Murathe has denied any ties to a firm that received a Sh4 billion tender from Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (Kemsa).
Appearing before the Public Investment Committee (PIC) on Thursday, Murathe maintained that he was just a signatory but did not stand to benefit from the lucrative tender.
He told the Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir-led committee that he only guaranteed the supply of 50,000 PPE kits provided by Entec Limited to Kilig.
“The use of the word guarantee was not contractual, it was simply a word of comfort that yes, I do know these people. I am not and never been involved in the business of Kilig or Entec, I had no way of influencing KEMSA to pay,” said Murathe.
Read: Murathe Threatens to Tell All in Sh4 Billion Kemsa Tender Probe
The vocal President Uhuru Kenyatta ally also took the opportunity to drag Deputy President William Ruto into the matter.
He said that Kilig was owned by individuals connected to DP Ruto and a Chinese national.
“I am not the director of Kilig, I did not receive a contract from KEMSA, and I did not supply KEMSA. Kilig is a company owned by people connected to the DP; they approach people who can finance the company through the lawyer and transfer ownership to the new owners,” he averred.
MPs sought to find out how a commitment letter awarded to Kilig was canceled and then resurrected.
Read Also: David Murathe Reveals His Role In Ksh4 Billion Kemsa Tender Awarded To Kilig Ltd
“The fact that I guaranteed them does not mean I was to benefit anything, I was facilitating a friend to do business, it does not mean I was doing it for benefit. I have paid bail for people, and when I get it from the court, I do not tell the people to pay me back,” he continued.
Tempers flared at some point after Murathe accused Wajir East MP Rashid Kassim of being a Ruto apologist.
Kassim alleged that the Jubilee vice chair was being cagey with the truth.
Murathe was asked to apologize. But Embakasi East MP Babu Owino caused an uproar when he came to Murathe’s aid.
Read Also: Fewer Tenders, Fewer Contractors As Kenyans Shy Off KEMSA Billions
Babu said the MP was trying to incriminate the Jubilee politician.
“These MPs are Tanga Tanga and we all know that. MP Rashid is politicising this investigation. He is perceiving Murathe to be guilty yet he is not. I am defending Murathe because the truth is that there was no Ksh4 billion involved in this case, and Murathe was not given any money as claimed,” Babu argued before he was called to order.
In his closing remarks, Murathe noted that he is not a “Covid millionaire” as has been alleged in the media.
He also threatened to take legal action against media houses that painted him in bad light.
“It’s very sad that some of us are treated as poster boys of the scandal. I have never supplied any mask and even my relatives are thinking I am a Covid billionaire. People are calling me asking me to give them money,” he stated.
The committee said it will be writing to the KCB bank to uncover who the two signatories are.
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