Kiptoo revealed that Chirchir was an intern deployed to the National Treasury under the Public Service Internship Program (PSIP), Cohort 6, starting on February 1, 2024.
The National Treasury has broken its silence following the emergence of reports of the mysterious death of Evans Chirchir, an official working with the Ministry responsible for the country’s public coffers.
In a two-page clarification, Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo revealed that while the Treasury expressed its condolences to the family and friends of Chirchir who died on August 31, 2024, and his body was discovered in Machakos Level V Hospital, it termed as misleading information circulating regarding his duties at the Treasury offices.
“We have observed with concern the spread of inaccurate and misleading information on social media and in the press regarding Mr Chirchir’s connection to the National Treasury. There have also been allegations made by individuals claiming to represent the deceased’s family, which we wish to address and clarify,” stated Kiptoo.
To clarify the facts, Kiptoo revealed that Chirchir was an intern deployed to the National Treasury under the Public Service Internship Program (PSIP), Cohort 6, starting on February 1, 2024.
Treasury Principal Secretary Chris Kiptoo during a meeting on August 22, 2024. /NATIONAL TREASURY & ECONOMIC PLANNING
He was assigned to the procurement section but, as an intern, he was not actively involved in any tendering or procurement decision-making processes. Kiptoo noted that his disappearance occurred on the evening of Saturday, August 31, 2024, in the Kyumvi area, Machakos Junction, while returning from a private function in Makueni.Â
“Since it was a weekend, Mr Chirchir was not on official duty at the time of the incident. On Monday, 2nd September 2024, the National Treasury was informed of his disappearance and subsequent death. His body was found at Machakos Level 5 Hospital, where he had been registered on the night of 31st August as a victim of a road traffic accident,” he added.
Here is PS Kiptoo’s further clarification:
According to the police, Mr Chirchir was knocked down by a vehicle on the night of 31st August 2024. The Officer Commanding Station (OCS) Kyumvi has confirmed the arrest of the driver involved in the incident. A post-mortem examination is being conducted to ascertain the precise cause of death.
It is important to emphasize that Mr. Chirchir’s passing was in no way related to his professional duties or any activities at the National Treasury. He was not involved in any sensitive or decision-making capacities within the department, and the incident that led to his death occurred during his private time, far from his work responsibilities.
At this difficult time, we offer our deepest sympathies to his family and loved ones. We urge the public to refrain from circulating unverified and speculative information that could cause further distress to the family and harm the reputation of the National Treasury.
We also call for patience as investigative agencies conduct their independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Mr Chirchir’s death.
While the investigation continues, the National Treasury reiterated its commitment to full transparency and extended its deepest sympathies to the Chirchir family during this difficult time.
Evans Chirchir was one of many young Kenyans participating in the government’s PSIP, aimed at providing practical experience to university graduates. Since its inception, the program has placed thousands of interns in various government institutions, including the National Treasury.
Following the death, Chirchir’s family claimed that he was working on a Ksh286 million tender at the Treasury during the period that he disappeared, and had expressed fears for his life on the same.
“The manner in which he was killed by the criminals is questionable and raises eyebrows. It cannot be a coincidence that it is not related to tender and work issues,” the family lawyer Felix Kaeto stated, adding “The issues of tender can be related to the death and as such, we do not want to speculate on the circumstances but to demand justice.”
According to the lawyers, Chirchir had faced the life threats which raised questions as to whether the death could be linked to issues surrounding tendering processes.
The lawyers also mentioned that a section of friends wanted to meet the deceased in Machakos. However, it was after the meeting that they learnt of Chirchir’s disappearance.
Outside entrance to Machakos Level 5 Hospital. /NAIBUZZ
