EAC suspends officer on graft claims

Arusha. The East African Community (EAC) secretariat has remained silent on the suspension of one of its senior officials on graft claims and alleged abuse of office.

Neither the Secretary General, Dr Richard Sezibera, nor the Counsel to the Community, Mr Wilbert Kahwa, were ready to give details on the suspension of Phil Kleruu, a senior estate management officer.

Kleruu was served with a 30-day suspension letter on February 28, this year in connection with the loss of items belonging to the Community.

EAC officials who were contacted declined to comment, saying that it was an internal matter.

Mr Kleruu, for his part, said his suspension was against the existing EAC rules and regulations for it was not consented by the Council of Ministers, the policy organ of the Community.

The Arusha-based secretariat has also distanced itself from some mails circulating among its employees and officials of the ministries responsible for EAC affairs in the partner states which cited allegations of funds mismanagement by key officials.

“Those are just malicious e-mails. We don’t have time to attend to them because they originate from anonymous sources,” an official told The Citizen last week.

Mr Kleruu, a Tanzanian national, joined the EAC in 2007 to handle the new headquarter construction project.

He alleged that his troubles started early this year over the recruitment of some workers and failure to renew a contract of an employee in the estates unit.

He added that he had also raised a number of issues needing the attention of the SG and the executive management team, winning him enemies within the ranks of the secretariat which has over 200 employees.

When contacted over the issue, the deputy secretary general (Finance and Administration), Mr Jean Claude Nsengiyumva, dismissed allegations levelled against him by Mr Kleruu, arguing that the latter had been under investigation for sometime over the Community headquarter project.

He said he had not been served with an audit querry over alleged double payment to him during his numerous trips and assignments outside Arusha. He also denied claims of favouritism in awarding working contracts to employees or consultants.

Repeated efforts by The Citizen to reach out the Secretary General to comment on the issue were futile last week. Reports had it that he (SG) met with Mr Kleruu to discuss the suspension which had become a major talk along the corridors of the EAC headquarters.

The EAC head of Corporate Affairs and Public Information Mr Owora-Richard Othieno said he was aware of the suspension of the key official but referred journalists to his superiors for clarification.

Unconfirmed sources said an internal probe team had been formed to investigate the crisis which have led to an apparent tiff between the deputy SG and the estates officer.

Other EAC officials confided that they would like to see the matter resolved to sustain the integrity of the Community.