Senator Orengo was among those questioned by the EACC on Friday. Photo/ JOSEPH MURAYA
NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 10 – Suspended Cabinet Secretary for Labour Kazungu Kambi now says his woes are linked to his diligence in serving Kenyans.
He says the allegations made against him by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) are only meant to derail his efforts to deliver as per the Jubilee manifesto.
“The issues were basically that I have been working so hard…it’s like they want me to slow down a little bit,” he told journalists at Integrity Centre after being questioned for about six hours.
Asked why he took long, an amused Kambi said, “there were tea breaks and also we had lunch, there is water; everything. I think I should come here often. But I am clean…very clean.”
He is among five Cabinet Secretaries mentioned in a confidential dossier that the anti-graft body submitted to President Uhuru Kenyatta who in turn handed it to Parliament.
Kambi claims that the people behind the graft allegations against him want him removed because he had sealed graft loopholes at NSSF.
On March 29, he pleaded his innocence and asked the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to expedite the investigations into allegation against him.
“As I step aside, I urge the EACC to comply with the 60-day timeline spelt out to conclusively and comprehensively carry out the investigations as directed by the President. I am innocent and confident that upon completion of the investigation, I will be vindicated,” Kambi said.
According to the report, Kambi has, “been involved in corruption deals at NSSF which falls under his Ministry. Kambi has come out strongly in support of the NSSF Tassia 11 project despite clear indications that the Board of Trustees did not approve the project’s revised cost estimate of Sh5.05 billion from Sh3.3 billion as required by procurement laws and that the alleged approval by way of email circulation was improper and irregular.”
Siaya Senator James Orengo on his part accused the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission of malice and trivialities for including him in the list of shame over family land.
He said the piece of land measuring 0.11 of an acre, was his father’s but he inherited it after he died.
“This matter is not going to end here… I fought hard in this country and my family has paid for my standing for what is right. But now to have my name being soiled and people there rejoicing, I cannot let it go,” he said without divulging more information of what he intends to do to his accusers.
He claimed the matter has been cleared from EACC files and also wants his accusers to be investigated saying, the allegations were more of a witch hunt.
Orengo’s lawyer Betty Murungi who is his wife described the accusations as baseless saying, “it’s a sad day for Kenyans when a whole constitutional commission is turned into peddlers of rumours and trivia.”
Deputy Minority Leader Jakoyo Midiwo who accompanied Orengo to the EACC headquarters said the commission has become a place of ridicule, due to the allegations being made against government officials.
“I support the war against corruption but I want the commission to stop trivializing the war…our people are poor because of corruption,” he said.
He has also questioned why the EACC did not include some people, in the list of shame.
“The corruption commission can do better and must do better…we cannot look for somebody for inheriting a family property,” he said.
Suspended Transport PS Nduva Muli was also questioned by the EACC in the company of his lawyer Cecil Miller.
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