Controller of Budget denies leaking Eurobond details to Cord leader

What you need to know:

  • Ms Odhiambo was responding to reports in a local daily to the effect that she and her deputy had been summoned to State House over Eurobond claims.

  • Cord leader Raila Odinga claimed in a local TV station that he got wind of the 'missing Eurobond funds' from Ms Agnes Odhiambo.

  • Mr Odinga has consistently maintained that top officials in the Jubilee government embezzled the Sh140 billion Eurobond proceeds.

The Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo on Monday refuted reports that she had been summoned to State House to explain why she allegedly leaked Eurobond information to Cord leader Raila Odinga.

In a statement, Ms Odhiambo maintained that she enjoyed cordial relations with President Uhuru Kenyatta and had never leaked any information regarding the Eurobond billions to Mr Odinga.

“As an independent institution, the Office enjoys a cordial and professional working relationship with the Presidency. It is therefore, not true that the relationship between the Office and State House is strained,” she stated.

“I have never confided in Hon. Raila Odinga that close to $1 billion of Eurobond funds were not transferred to the National Exchequer Account at the Central Bank of Kenya,” she added, insisting that she had consistently stated that Sh196.9 billion was transferred to the National Exchequer Account.

Ms Odhiambo was responding to reports in a local daily to the effect that she and her deputy, Mr Stephen Masha, had been summoned to State House after Mr Odinga told a local television station that he had got wind of the Eurobond scandal from her.

'EUROBOND PROPAGANDA'

Mr Kenyatta was said to have been angry with Ms Odhiambo for allegedly feeding Mr Odinga with “propaganda” about the Eurobond transactions to use against the Jubilee government.

“I talked to her before I even went public and she told me a different story. She is under a lot of pressure and I actually sympathise with her. She is being intimidated and blackmailed to change the story,” Mr Odinga told the TV station.

Mr Odinga has consistently maintained that top officials in the Jubilee government embezzled the Sh140 billion Eurobond proceeds.

He has named eleven top Treasury and Central Bank of Kenya officials as well as Ms Odhiambo as “persons of interest” in the Eurobond saga.

Ms Odhiambo, however, confirmed that she had been to State House on several occasions to attend meetings in her official capacity as the Controller of Budget.

“On allegations that the Controller of Budget and the Deputy Controller of Budget were recently summoned to State House, I wish to state that by virtue of the Office, the Controller of Budget has been to State House severally for meetings. However, the Deputy Controller of Budget has never visited State House for any meetings,” she noted.

“With regard to Hon. Raila Odinga’s interview with Citizen Television on 22nd December, 2015, the former Prime Minister may have been referring to Table 3.1 (Statement of Actual Revenue as at 30th June, 2015) on Page 7 of our Annual National Government Budget Implementation Review Report for FY 2014/15, where we reflected the tap sale of ksh.73.81 billion as proceeds of the Sovereign Bond in the FY 2014/15."

"The other tranche of KShs.88.46 billion of Eurobond money is part of the opening balance of the KShs.140.62 billion which is clearly indicated on the same page," she stated.