A Sh310 Million lavish home acquired by the government as the official residence of the Chief Justice of Kenya is yet to be occupied almost four years since it was purchased.
On Tuesday, new Chief Justice David Maraga announced that he would not move into the palatial house located in the leafy suburbs of Runda estate due to the legal issues surrounding the procurement of the home.
Speaking at his office where his predecessor Dr Willy Mutunga had visited to officially hand over the office, CJ Maraga divulged: “There are few cases. I mean a case going on in court and there are few issues that are being sorted out and as soon as that is done, I will move in very fast."
He added: “Don't give the public the impression that we are refusing to go in, it's the legal issues involved with that house."
The house, which was reportedly bought from Machakos Senator Johnstone Muthama, has been embroiled in procurement tussles with the Auditor General highlighting that the Judiciary did not follow the proper procedures.
Six officials involved in the purchase of the grand house included former Chief Registrar of the Judiciary Gladys Shollei who was fired when the irregularities came to light.
“Between April 16 and 30 being the chief registrar and accounting officer of the Judiciary, you used your office to improperly confer a benefit to Johnson Nduya Muthama Ltd by approving payment of Sh310 million for the purchase of a residence for the Chief Justice,” one of Ms Shollei's charge sheet read in part.
According to the charges, the six were accused of willfully failing to comply with the law by rejecting the submissions of the evaluation committee to award the tender for purchase of the Chief Justice residence to the tenderer with the lowest evaluated price without any justification.
They were also accused of failing to ensure that the Judiciary did not pay in excess of the prevailing market prices in the purchase of the fully furnished residential property from Johnson Nduya Muthama Holdings Ltd for the sum of Sh310 million.
During his tenure, CJ Mutunga also never occupied the posh house in Runda.
