The Council of Governors described it as a ploy to detract attention from the real agents of corruption with Chairman Isaac Ruto stating that he has never been visited by any EACC official/FILE
The Council of Governors described it as a ploy to detract attention from the real agents of corruption with Chairman Isaac Ruto stating that he has never been visited by any EACC official and it unaware of any investigations conducted against him or his county government.
While stating that publishing of his name amounted to slander, he pointed out that the procedure for removing elected leaders from power is clearly stipulated in the constitution and for that to happen, proper investigations need to be carried out by the relevant institutions.
“The moment the President actually tables it, it ceases to be an anti-corruption report. It is his own story because we expect EACC to do its job but now the whole thing is becoming suspect, highly questionable. So the President is in charge of anti-corruption… is he its managing director? No, the constitution has established institutions to conduct proper investigations,” he said.
When he tabled the report, President Kenyatta said he expected officials in his administration named in the report to step aside, and felt county government officials also implicated should be honourable enough to also vacate office.
Ruto however explained that under the constitution, it is only the President’s speech which is to be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday of the following week and that should the report be tabled, then the Standing Orders need to be amended.
“The vacation of office by governors is stipulated in the constitution. You are just telling me that it will be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday. By who, from who. You see, the President does not table any document in Parliament other than his speech. It is his speech that will be in the Order Papers. We are going to see if the Speakers are going to change the Standing Orders over the weekend,” he stated.
His sentiments were echoed by Meru Governor Peter Munya who described the report as a political strategy aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
“Really, I think it is very unfair to attempt to drag people’s names into the Anti-Corruption saga, try to soil everybody’s name. The government has muscle, it has capacity to investigate and also capacity to take people to court. If there were any other investigations required in this matter, I think the Deputy President would lead the way by stepping aside and then everyone else would follow,” he said.
Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok also expressed shock at being named in the report saying he was not aware of any investigations being conducted against him.
“I do not know why I am on that list. I have never been investigated by any EACC officer. I do not even know one and I have never seen anyone. Yesterday in the morning while chairing my Cabinet in Lodwar, one of you journalists called me and told me that I was being accused by MPs for buying Comfort Hotel in Nairobi. I have no idea where Comfort Hotel is,” he stated.
The report also contains the names of five Cabinet Secretaries and six Principal Secretaries who have been directed to step aside to allow for investigations into corruption allegations levelled against them.
READ: 5 Cabinet Secretaries, 12 Governors in EACC graft list
The Cabinet Secretaries, according to sources include Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu, her Agriculture counterpart Felix Koskei and Transport CS Engineer Michael Kamau.
Reports also indicated Davies Chirchir and Kazungu Kambi may be on the list.
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