The Kenya Railways Chairman Major General (Rtd) Pastor Omudho Awitta is back on the spotlight, this time the corrupt pastor is making news for being on the radar of Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for pocketing bribes from Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd (GBHL) and a retainer of Sh 1million.
Awitta has been pocketed by corrupt owners of GBHL, a scandalous firm which faced pressure from Kenyan lawmakers in 2021 when they demanded an end to it’s monopoly at the port of Mombasa.
National Assembly’s Finance and National Committee in a report accused GBHL of deliberately delaying to clear cereals at the Mombasa Port to hurt importers who had to incur colossal demurrage costs.
The committee’s report recommended that competitors in the business be licensed by 2022 to end GBHL’s monopoly and fasten clearance of cereals.
Awitta whose wife is a politician associated with opposition outfit of ODM was very instrumental in Azimio campaigns in the last elections as he hoped for a Raila Odinga win to continue defrauding the Kenya Railways Corporation.
He is now under siege for receiving bribes and it’s imperative to note that his looting network includes top managers who have used their illicit earnings to buy luxurious properties in Mombasa where they rinse their dirty money.
Awitta and his cartel which includes general managers are in a mission to eliminate Autoports Freight Terminals Ltd operations and it’s associates in favor of GBHL.
Autoports is a controversial firm associated with the family of former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho. A recent report by the Auditor General revealed it was awarded a contract on concessionary terms to operate at the taxpayer-funded inland cargo terminal in Nairobi based on forgeries of board resolutions by a former acting Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC) managing director – Mr Atanas Maina who was suspended over corruption allegations.
Bank accounts belonging to Awitta and the other two general managers are being investigated by the Asset Recovery Authority (ARA).
The chairman’s dirty operations have been reported to the new Roads and Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen who has directed that the two general managers be investigated for appending signatures to aide dirty dealings.
The 80 year old Awitta and his colleagues can be arrested anytime given the nature of serious evidence before the EACC and ARA. The man who was untouchable during the ‘Handshake’ era can no-longer chest-thump since the ODM leader can not protect him anymore.
Investigations have found that he is operating a private office in Mombasa where he demands and receives bribes from businessmen as he claims to secure validation of their tenders at Kenya Railways.
Awitta rubbishes the role of procurement department where he intimidates officers through the general managers in his looting network.
He was a beneficiary of the last minute appointments by former President Uhuru Kenyatta who renewed his term at the Kenya Railways Board for another three years.
