KPC top job applicants failed for lack of tax, graft clearance

The Mining and Petroleum ministry has said only three out of 140 applicants met requirements for Kenya Pipeline Company’s (KPC) top job as officials downplayed claims that political horse-trading was behind recruitment delay.

The applicants did not provide clearance certificates from the Kenya Revenue Authority, Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and other bodies in line with Chapter Six of the Constitution.

“Only three were able to meet the requirements.

“The KPC board then wrote to the Public Service Commission for advice and were told to re-advertise since this was a non-responsive tender. We then opened it to everybody outside the initial 140,” Petroleum PS Andrew Kamau told the National Assembly Committee on Energy.

The KPC re-advertised the position last month after the July one failed to get the adequate number of applicants to proceed to the next stage, Mr Kamau told the committee chaired by Endebess MP Robert Purpose.

Efforts to replace former KPC Managing Director Joe Sang, who was arrested last December alongside other former top officials, has been dogged by claims of horse-trading which climaxed last month with a fresh advertisement of the position.

“Communication out there is that there is a targeted individual and maybe he or she did not apply.

“Can you provide a list of those who applied and also the company that did the shortlisting?” Embakasi MP Julius Mawathe asked.

The State agency is looking to get a substantive replacement of Mr Sang whose position has been held in an acting capacity by Mr Hudson Andambi since December last year.

Mr Sang resigned on December 4 and arrested a few days later over corruption allegations, including massive fuel loss and procurement irregularities.

Mr Kamau said Thursday the KPC board had decided to allow applicants to bring their clearance certificates when they appear for the interviews “to ensure that the professionally qualified are not locked out due to delay in getting the clearances.”