Nandi MP questions EACC's 'hurried' Waiguru clearance

The lawyer of former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has described her clearance by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission as proof that the pressure that made her resign was political.

Mr Ahmednassir Abdullahi told the Nation on Monday that the EACC had vindicated his client’s assertions that she did not have a direct role in the accounting for the money lost at the National Youth Service.

“All along, the noise that was being made by Raila Odinga and his people was politically orchestrated. Everybody knew that she does not deal with the NYS money as a minister. NYS has its procedures and processes,” Mr Abdullahi said.

The lawyer said the EACC letter was written as part of normal procedure in government and was expected because the investigation was done when she was a Cabinet secretary and her employer would need to know what was happening. 

KETER'S ALLEGATIONS

But Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter raised suspicion on the clearance of Ms Waiguru, alleging tat the commission might be corrupt. He said investigations into Ms Waiguru’s dealings began late, possibly to give her time to cover up her trail. 

The EACC refused to comment on the allegations, but Ms Waiguru replied to Mr Keter last evening using her Twitter account: “Alfred Keter should explain his unusual interest in matters relating to me. Is he on the payroll of corruption networks we crippled at NYS?”

She added: “Why didn’t he complain when other CSs and others aligned to him were cleared by EACC?”

On Sunday, Ms Waiguru said she had not seen the letter.

“I’m sure I will be receiving communication. I’m, however, grateful to God that the truth is finally coming out. This gives me courage and strength.”  

The EACC confirmed on Monday morning that the letter dated February 4, and leaked on Sunday was, indeed, written by Mr Halakhe Waqo, the Chief Executive Officer and secretary of the commission.

“The status letter on Ms Waguru to the head of public service is genuine and we have written similar letters on other senior officers and for juniors to middle level. We write to their institutions,” said Mr Kairichi Marimba, the head of corporate communications at the EACC.

He said the investigation had been closed but added: “If new evidence becomes available, investigations will continue.”

But Mr Keter, whose Motion to impeach Ms Waiguru was rejected by the Speaker and a second attempt overtaken by her decision to resign, doubted if the EACC was serious in investigating the matter.

“I doubt if investigations were done. By the time they started moving to her house and being seen to be moving, it was late. They wasted four months,” he said at a press conference at Parliament.

He said he would pursue, through Parliament, the vetting of EACC officers.

“To me, the EACC is a collapsed institution. We should insist of vetting those working for the commission. It is a corrupt and failed institution. It has not done what we expect it to be doing,” he said. 

Mr Keter said the commission appeared to have acted in a hurry to clear Ms Waiguru, its decision coming just two months after she left her job.