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Ex-Nairobi CEC Ouko, Sonko trade accusations after she quit

“As far as I’m concerned, no bursary funds have been lost through my office. How comes this issue of bursary is coming up after I have resigned? The governor should accept I left and move on,” said Ouko/FILE

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 9 – Former Nairobi Education, Youth, Gender and Sports Executive Janet Ouko has dismissed Governor Mike Sonko’s claims that she colluded with cartels to operate illegal accounts where county bursary funds were channelled through.

Ouko said she was surprised to hear such allegations yet she has never received a letter from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission or the Director of Criminal Investigations on the issue.

“As far as I’m concerned, no bursary funds have been lost through my office. How comes this issue of bursaries is coming up after I have resigned? The governor should accept I left and move on,” said Ouko.

She said the only case she was aware of involves Sh370,000 which was collusion between one of the accountants and a Member of the Nairobi County Assembly who she didn’t name saying she is surprised how her name has been roped in.

According to Ouko, all the bursary transfers were done electronically to school bank accounts and that she didn’t receive any complaints from school heads.

“If indeed millions of shillings were lost and he is the one in charge, why hasn’t he arrested people and still why did he renew my contract if I’m corrupt?” posed Ouko.

She was among the few CECs whose contracts Sonko renewed after the one-year contract lapsed.

Ouko resigned on Monday despite having her contract renewed and went ahead to explain how difficult it has been to work with Sonko, saying they work under threats, blackmail and intimidation.

“It’s not possible to work with someone who constantly threatens to sack you, threatens to have you jailed and you have to work under tension; that’s why I decided to quit my job,” she said.

In her resignation, Ouko stated that she will be pursuing other interests after serving the county for one year.

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Ouko said that other CECs go through the same challenges but are afraid of quitting for fear of being falsely accused or intimidated adding that she is not afraid of the governor.

“Why is it that out of 10 CECs there are only two CECs remaining?”

Sonko spoke to journalists in Mombasa on Wednesday where he accused Ouko of misusing bursary funds meant for needy Nairobi students.

Sonko said that he has evidence that bursary money had been mismanaged and that those involved including Ouko will face the full force of law.

He further defended the suspensions witnessed in his administration saying that each leader has their own style of leadership.

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