The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) said Tourism CS Najib Balala had asked to be given an alternative date to record a statement as he had engagements this week.
Balala, a no show at EACC for planned grilling
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala
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CS Balala was expected to appear before the anti-graft agency detectives on Monday.
Tourism Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala
Pulse Live Kenya
In a statement, EACC spokesperson Yasin Amaro said that Balala had prior engagements as he had travelled to Kisumu but the commission would give him a new date.
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Probe
Former Tourism Principal Secretary Fatuma Hirsi and senior ministry staff have already recorded their statements over Sh100 million payments made during the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) Destination Expo that was held in Nairobi in 2017.
The Standard Newspaper stated that the EACC was interested in Balala after documents revealed that he was in constant communication with the ASTA-Kenya chapter.
According to the paper, CS Balala wrote to the president of ASTA Kenya, Samson Some, informing him of the Sh100 million sponsorship to organise a tourism expo the following year.
Partnership
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Balala also defended the partnership under investigation saying this has seen tourist numbers from USA double.
EACC Headquarters in Nairobi
Pulse Live Kenya
Last week the Tourism CS refuted claims that his homes had been raided by EACC detectives in the Sh100 million contract inquiry.
However, Balala confirmed that the inquiry was on against his ministry over the handling of the American Society of Travel Agents Expo that took place in Nairobi on Feb 2017.
