MPs want Mutea Iringo out over Sh8bn OP scandal

Suba MP John Mbadi (left), Homa Bay Women's Representative Gladys Wanga and Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi address journalists at Parliament Buildings on August 19, 2014. Fishermen at Kinda Beach in Suba are counting losses after a early morning fire razed their houses. on Tuesday. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI |

What you need to know:

  • Mr Iringo was Interior PS in the Office of the President at the time the cash transfers and withdrawals were made.
  • On Tuesday, a source at State House revealed that a major audit was ongoing.

A group of MPs wants Defence Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo held accountable over the suspicious transfer of Sh8.3 billion from a secret government security account.

The uproar arose as Mr Iringo, through a spokesperson, sought to clarify that the account for the Commissioner of Police, used for the transactions remained active until the close of the 2013/14 financial year.

He denied any wrongdoing even after the office was renamed Inspector-General and a new police chief, Mr David Kimaiyo, appointed.

Mr Iringo, who was last week transferred to the Ministry of Defence, was Interior PS in the Office of the President at the time the cash transfers and withdrawals were made.

On Tuesday, MPs, mainly from ODM, led by Junet Mohammed (Suna East), John Mbadi (Suba) and Gladys Wanga (Homa Bay County) demanded that the government account for pilferage of funds at the Office of the President.

Mr Mohammed said he had reason to believe that part of this money went into bribing institutions and individuals in the run-up to the 2013 General Election.

Even though President Kenyatta is reportedly conducting a purge in the OP’s Interior docket, State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu was categorical that the onus of investigating the Sh8.3 billion scandal was on Parliament.

“The Auditor-General’s report referred to a specific period of time when specific individuals were in charge. The report will be referred to Parliament where the relevant committee will study it and make findings,” he said on phone.

Mr Esipisu insisted that the Jubilee Government would not condone corrupt practices.

“The Jubilee administration stand for accountability and transparency. That is what the President insists of every State officer,” he said.

The Nation on Tuesday exclusively revealed that more than Sh8.3 billion was suspiciously withdrawn during the transition period from the Grand Coalition Government to the new regime.

Mr Mohammed said the President must act immediately on the allegations in his office because delays would only indicate that he was culpable.

“Mr Francis Kimemia and the entire team that sat at the Committee on the Assumption to the Office of President should be investigated over the suspect transactions,” he told journalists.

ATTEMPTING COVER-UP

Mr Mbadi said the recent reshuffles in government were most likely linked to the scandal and alleged that the government was attempting a cover-up.

“We should have all of the officers that were named arraigned in court, charged and removed from public office. We cannot say there is no money for a referendum and yet there is Sh8 billion to be stolen,” he said.

“We have listened to empty rhetoric for a long time. It is now time to see heads rolling and action being taken,” said Mr Mbadi.

The expenditure of Sh8.3 billion at the Office of the President through withdrawals made from a “confidential” account for Commissioner of Police believed to have been closed raised audit queries.

But on Tuesday, Ministry of Interior spokesman Mwenda Njoka explained that the police commissioner’s account remained active up to the end of 2013 despite the opening of a new account for the Inspector General of Police.

“The PS (Mutea) has told me that the Police Commissioner’s account remained open and was closed only at the end of the year,” Mr Njoka said.

He also defended the frequency of withdrawals, claiming that was normal at the Office of the President due to the nature of operations and services under the docket.

An analysis of the withdrawals indicated that only a few of the payments were made via cheques, as vouchers revealed withdrawals of cash allegedly paid to the Police, the Director of Criminal Investigations and the Office of the President.

On Tuesday, a source at State House revealed that a major audit was ongoing after the President ordered the deployment of a new team of procurement officers to undertake correctional measures with a bid to strengthening the OP’s financial systems.

“Most of those guys removed from OP will eventually be kicked out of government. The President is not interested in such people,” said an aide.

OFFICIALS KICKED OUT

About 100 officers from the finance department, the Cabinet Office and the Principal Secretary’s office have been kicked out of OP after the Head of State ordered the purge.

Director of Administration and Finance Joseph Kirubi and Chief Procurement Officer Ken Mwangi are among the officials removed.

Dr Mohammed Isahakia, a former PS in the Office of the President, Former Finance PS Joseph Kinyua, who is now Head of Public service and Chief of Staff, Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo, and Mr Iringo, the then Internal Security PS, were among the member of the Committee on Assumption of the Office of the President.

The committee was chaired by then Public Service boss Francis Kimemia.