Duale on the spot for distributing expired food

National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale is on the spot for distributing expired foodstuffs at an orphanage in Garissa County.

The Garissa Township MP was summoned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) yesterday to explain the matter which he has termed “fake”.

The Nation has learnt that Mr Duale had been asked to appear before Assistant Inspector-General of Police Benedict Oyaro to respond to complaints raised by Garissa residents over a donation of spoilt food.

In a letter seen by the Nation, the DCI states that it has launched investigations regarding the alleged distribution of foodstuffs by Mr Duale “following several complaints from Garissa County residents”.

“I do hereby require Aden Duale to personally appear before Mr Benedict Oyaro, an Assistant Inspector-General of Police investigating the alleged offence on 19th February at 10 am at DCI headquarters, Nairobi.”

BLACK SUBSTANCE

Reliable sources who spoke to the Nation on condition of anonymity revealed that the Garissa MP had visited Najah Children's Home in Bulla Iftin, Garissa town, on Monday and donated food to the centre.

“He (Mr Duale) visited the orphanage on Monday. When we opened the food sacks, we saw some black substance which raised concern among us. It is then that we learnt that the food was expired,” said the source who works at the centre.

The Jubilee Party legislator visited the orphanage earlier this week for the first time in his 15-year tenure.

Orphanage manager Mohammed Noor confirmed that there were cartons of spoilt food.

He said the food donation, including rice, flour and maize, was later destroyed at the centre.

Meanwhile, sources revealed that a contingent of police officers, public health, Kebs and Kenya Revenue Authority officials raided Mr Duale's township CDF office.

DENIAL

Yesterday, however, Mr Duale claimed that he had not been summoned by DCI as the whole matter was just “propaganda”.

“The whole thing is fake, including the letter. You can go to Garissa and see for yourself. I talked to the DCI himself and he said there is nothing,” Mr Duale told the Nation on the phone.

However, the Nation is aware that Mr Duale was approached by members of the Bohra community to assist them in supplying foodstuffs.

Mr Duale, according to photos seen by the Nation, was with members of the community who have also been assisting other centres with food in the county.

Following revelations that the food was expired, the Bohra community sent a communication of regret to Mr Duale that the food was indeed bad.

“We have learnt with regret that some dead stock was loaded. We have just come to know the storekeeper was not there during the loading of the foodstuffs and nobody checked,” said the text.