Ex-CS Waiguru: They framed me in NYS scandal to serve Raila’s interests

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June 2, 2017

1991

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal was a sham and was meant to appease NASA Principal Raila Odinga, former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has said.

Talking during an interview with Citizen TV’s Jeff Koinange, Waiguru said that NASA members sitting on the PAC pushed hurried recommendations in an effort to frustrate a defamation suit she had filed against Mr Odinga.

She says that they did so without any evidence whatsoever and were only interested in looking out for Mr Odinga’s interests.

“I have sued Raila Odinga for defamation because he was the first person to link me to the NYS scandal thus creating a national discourse especially among his followers,” said Waiguru, who is the Jubilee candidate for Kirinyaga governorship seat.

“You would therefore expect the claims he made in Kibra and Uhuru Park that I stole Ksh1 billion at the NYS to have evidential backing; and that is what I want him to produce in court.”

“It is not a coincidence that a week after Raila Odinga petitioned the court to order a fresh lifestyle audit on me, PAC came up with recommendations also demanding the same.”

Waiguru added that Raila was embarrassed by the projects she had launched in his turf in Kibera and he decided to go after her.

“It was a huge embarrassment for Raila that after only three years I was able to transform lives in Kibera through development projects, yet he had not done anything for the people in the 20 years he served as MP,” she said.

Waiguru said that the narrative of the NYS scandal was convenient for NASA as their entire campaign is largely based on smearing Jubilee with corruption.

“NASA has resolved to fight tooth and nail to make sure the allegations against me stick, because if they don’t it will be a huge embarrassment to Raila and a blow to their campaign.”

She insisted that the PAC proceedings were a political witch-hunt saying the committee could not find a shred of evidence linking her to the loss of public money at the NYS despite interviewing 47 witnesses and holding 50 sessions..

“In my petition in court, I have clearly stated that DCI had found that Kabura’s affidavit was fake and even recommended that she be charged for lying under oath. PAC, however, decided to ignore these recommendations and went ahead to use her affidavit, which in law cannot be used as evidence, to make their conclusions.”

“It was convenient for the members of NASA coalition in PAC to align their recommendations with Raila’s petition to gain favour from the ODM leader and endorsements in their respective political races.

“If you look at proceedings in court, you will notice that Raila is making incessant attempts to have the case terminated so that he will not have to come and answer questions on what evidence he has to back his defamatory claims.”

She also noted that Raila seemed to be obsessed by her lifestyle and even making demands that a fresh audit be done.

She says his notion is based on his perception that she has bought property and made mega investments.

“A lifestyle audit was already done by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and thorough investigations carried out by the DCI, but they could not find anything linking me to the NYS scandal.

“I was even cleared and was heading back to government but some individuals who had been sent home after they were named in the EACC list of shame crafted a fake affidavit under Josephine Kabura’s name just to stir up the debate.”

“I have not bought anything and even my loan has been halted since I couldn’t pay it after leaving government. A fresh lifestyle audit will therefore not unearth anything that will help Raila’s case,” Ms Anne Waiguru remarked.