The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is probing circumstances under which a container delivering electronic equipment to Parliament from China arrived in Nairobi empty.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, the equipment which they donated to the Kenyan Government were already loaded and shipped to Kenya and was ready to be delivered by July.
“We were shocked to be notified by the National Assembly that when the container arrived in the parliament yesterday on 30th July and opened by the officers of the National Assembly, it was empty inside,” read the statement.
CONSIGNMENT
The goods listed as laptops and computer projectors were a donation from the National People’s Congress of China and the consignment was to be delivered through the Chinese Embassy in Kenya by the end of July.
According to Clerk of the National Assembly, the Chinese Embassy in Nairobi contracted a company identified as M/S Bollore Africa Transport & Logistics Ltd to deliver the consignment.
“Indeed a container arrived at Parliament Square on July 30, 2019, whence I appointed some officers from the National Assembly to confirm the delivery as per the correspondence from the consignee (Chinese Embassy),” reads the statement by Mr Sialai.
EMPTY CONTAINER
“Upon opening of the container seals, the container was confirmed to have been empty. Both the agent and our officers brought this matter to my attention and I made a decision that the DCI officers attached to the Parliament Road Police Station be informed of this development, which was done promptly.”
The Chinese Embassy said this is the first time such a thing was happening though they have been making donation to the Kenyan Government.
“Over the years the Chinese side has made friendly donations to our Kenya brothers and sister, including medical apparatus, office equipment, food aid, etc and they have all been delivered safe and sound. Among them were office equipment donated and delivered to the parliament in 2018. Therefore this is the first time such thing has ever happened,” the Embassy said.
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