Government CEO Quits Hours to his Grilling

Wednesday, February 2, 2022 –Kenya Electricity Transmission Company KETRACO CEO and Managing Director Fernandes Barasa has resigned.

According to viable sources, Mr. Barasa quit job on Monday January 31 despite expectations to appear before the Parliamentary Public Investments Committee PIC on Tuesday February 1 so that he could answer to audit concerns surrounding excess payments of over sh 785 million to Lake Turkana Wind Power LTWP for a project in Marsabit.

The gubernatorial aspirant in ODM Party and who wants to succeed Governor Wickliffe Oparanya would then tender his resignation on Monday before attending the Public Investments Committee PIC hearings.

Barasa’s resignation was also not well explained by acting Managing Director Anthony Wamukota who divulged that his official contract required him to quit in April 2022.

Reacting to the news, PIC Chairman Abdulswamad Shariff noted that Mr. Barasa vacated office one week before the deadline set by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) for public servants eyeing elective seats.

Likoni Member of Parliament who is also in PIC wondered why Barasa had penned his resignation in a huff describing the move as suspicious.

“I don’t know whether he is part of the cartel or not. We are just surprised by his move,” she remarked.

According to IEBC chairman Wafula Chebukati, all public servants eyeing elective seats have to quit office by February 9.

Mr. Barasa who is already campaigning to become next governor of Kakamega County, also worked for Kenya Tea Development Agency Limited (KTDA), Kenya Airways and East Africa Reinsurance.

In the county race, he will have to face off with United Democratic Alliance UDA candidate Boni Khalwale, Lugari Member of Parliament Ayub Savula and Deputy Governor Philip Kutima.

Latest polls conducted by Tuko.co.ke revealed that he(Barasa) stands a  higher chance of winning the race.