Foreign Affairs ministry has directed the Independent Electoral Commission (IEBC) to withhold any terminal dues to commissioner Dr Paul Kurgat.
The ministry issued the request after questions were raised on how the commissioner used government funds at the Kenyan High Commission in Moscow, Russia during his tenure.
In a letter to the IEBC CEO, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Ambassador Macharia Kamau allege that Ksh178 million is reported to have been lost when Dr Kurgat was the head of the Kenyan mission.
[caption caption="File image of IEBC Commissioner Paul Kurgat"]
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Additionally, Ksh8.6 million was irregularly incurred by the government in an overpayment of foreign service allowance.
"The ministry is bringing this matter to the attention of the IEBC as the employer for information and to request that any terminal payments due to the Ambassador be held until the matter is finalized,” the letter signed by Mr LM Waweru on behalf of the PS notes.
Mr Kurgat served from August 11, 2010, to December 21, 2015, before he was appointed to the IEBC.
The PS further noted: "One of his responsibilities as an AIE holder was to ensure proper conduct of financial transactions in the Kenyan mission."
Kurgat is among three IEBC commissioners, Ms Consolata Maina and Margaret Mwachanya, who resigned on April 16 claiming that their continued stay in the office was untenable.
However, the three are yet to officially notify the president of their resignation as the IEBC Act requires.
Last week, the commission's chairman Wafula Chebukati told members of the Justice and Legal Affairs committee of the National Assembly that he could not tell whether the three commissioners are still drawing their salaries.
Although he divulged to the committee that the three are still using government cars and that they still have their bodyguards and drivers intact.
"They are yet to surrender the commission property among them cars, to the commission,” Mr Chebukati declared.
[caption caption="File image of IEBC Vice Chair Consolata Maina, Commissioners Margaret Mwachanya and Paul Kurgat"]
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