NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 10 – Four personalities including two sitting Members of Parliament have denied claims that they are under investigations by the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission over corruption cases as alleged by Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo in Parliament on Wednesday.
MPs Cyrus Jirongo, Ferdinand Waititu, former legislator Chris Murungaru and KenGen Managing Director Eddy Njoroge came out fighting allegations that they were involved in graft according to documents tabled by Mr Kilonzo in Parliament.
Making a personal statement in the House, Mr Jirongo said that the mentioned cases had been cleared by KACC. He said that in one of the cases the National Social Security Fund was ordered to pay him outstanding money.
“When one reads what is on the headlines today (Thursday) one believes those are the people who have reaped off this country. However the big fishes were are talking about (should be those involved in) the Sh178 billion lost in the Goldenberg scandals,” he said.
“One wonders what interest the Justice Minister had in this matter by failing to table the names of the real thieves.”
Similarly Dr Murungaru said he had no pending cases in any court related to Anglo Leasing or any other graft cases. He accused KACC of “consuming rumours and false allegations about Mr Murungaru’s wealth and without any attempt to verify the information concluded that he was guilty of corruption, and proceeded to look for any peg to hang him on.”
He said KACC should not attempt to make him the sacrificial big fish as they fight the public demand for their removal. The former powerful minister said Justice Ringera and his assistants should quit and go home quietly “because one way or the other their goose is cooked.”
“This so called report is a sorry attempt by Justice Ringera and his underlings to fight the public demand for their removal, by portraying this demand to be driven by personal interests of those he “has in his sights.”
On his part Mr Njoroge said he had handled his office with integrity, adding that KACC is only investigating KenGen over the extension of a contract for drilling wells in OlKaria which he was not personally involved.
“The fact that KACC may be investigating an issue in KenGen does not mean that they are investigating Eddy Njoroge,” he sought to clarify.
He added that despite writing to KACC again on 22nd May 2009 asking how far they had gone with this investigation and requesting a quick investigation there has been no response.
“Could I have been pushing them to complete investigations knowing that I am guilty?” he queried.
Mr Waititu said that his case too was concluded and he was acquitted by the court.
“I want the record to be set straight that I have no case with KACC and I would urge the Minister to update his records so that he does not include my name in such a list,” he said.
Speaker of the National Assembly Kenneth Marende has however ruled that some of the documents tabled in the House by Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo were inadmissible.
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