Parliamentary Committee probes Nyayo Tea Zones over audit queries, stolen vehicles, and ownership gaps

Parliamentary Committee probes Nyayo Tea Zones over audit queries, stolen vehicles, and ownership gaps 

𝐓𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟕𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓. 
𝐁𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐓𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫, 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐁𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬. 

The Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration, and Agriculture (PIC-SSAA), chaired by Hon. Emmanuel Wangwe (Nabakholo MP), has raised serious concerns over financial and asset management issues at Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation during an audit of its financial statements spanning 1999 to 2024.

Appearing before the committee, Nyayo Tea Zones CEO Mr. David Chepkwony faced tough questions on discrepancies related to the corporation’s vehicles and motorcycles, missing ownership documents, and an ongoing investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The committee flagged motorcycles owned by the corporation that lacked proper ownership documents. In response, Mr. Chepkwony explained that the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) had been upgrading its system at the time, leading to service unavailability.

However, MPs pressed for more clarity. "It is concerning that a state corporation cannot account for its own assets," said Hon. Wangwe, emphasizing the need for transparency.

Further, the committee questioned the corporation over a stolen vehicle bearing the registration number KCA 022F. The matter was complicated by conflicting records—while the corporation reported the vehicle’s registration as KCA 002F, Amaco Insurance records showed it as KCA 002A.

"How does the same vehicle have three different registration numbers across official documents? This raises serious accountability issues," stated the committee Vice-chairperson. The MPs directed the corporation to provide clarification on the discrepancies in its next appearance.

Mystery of the Three Names

Another contentious issue was the EACC investigation into an individual linked to the corporation. Documents presented to the committee had three different name variations: Josiah K. Sang, Joseph Kimutai Sang, and Josiah Kimutai Sang.

Hon. Wangwe demanded an explanation, stating, "The corporation must clarify who exactly is under investigation. These inconsistencies in official documents are unacceptable." The committee directed the corporation to rectify and verify the identity of the person under investigation before their next sitting.

The Nyayo Tea Zones Development Corporation has been ordered to appear before the committee again and submit; Clarification on the identity of the person under EACC investigation, evidence of land ownership by the corporation, a full report on the stolen vehicle, including accurate registration details,

Proper documentation for the corporation's motorcycles and submit the updated Assets register indicating the parcels of land they own with titles, without titles and the ones that were grabbed and also indicating the persons benefited from the grabbing.