Azimio La Umoja Coalition leader Raila Odinga is now calling for the resignation of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and his Treasury counterpart Njuguna Ndung’u over the Kes 17 billion diesel scandal.
In a statement, the opposition leader alleged that the two cabinet secretaries had committed criminal offenses, abused office, and gone against the constitution.
Further, Odinga cited evidence that showed that in June Treasury withdrew Kes 17 billion to subsidize “private financial enterprises,” which is now linked to a firm belonging to Anne Njeri.
“They stole money from the Consolidated Fund, in addition to spending monies way above what Parliament approved. They must not only resign. They must also be prosecuted,” he said.
Additionally, Odinga attributed his evidence to documents tabled by Busia senator Okiya Omtata showing the withdrawal of Kes 42 million from the consolidated fund without the authority of Parliament.
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“I concur with the senator’s suspicion that Njeri is the ‘private financial enterprises’ funded by the Kshs 17,224,718,632 illegally from the Consolidated Fund and received by the Ministry of Petroleum,” said Odinga.
Omtatah claimed that the government-financed businesswoman Ann Njeri Njoroge in the contentious Kes 17 billion fuel deal that has been the center of controversy.
Omtatah stated that he had found evidence linking the government through National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u, who authorized the withdrawal of Kes 17.2 billion from the Consolidated Fund to subsidize a private enterprise.
According to the Busia Senator, the private enterprise was Njeri’s company, which was funded in June to import the fuel.
“Whereas what was financed by the 50955 19 Clauses (a) and (b) above is not disclosed, there is a direct correlation between the Kshs. 17,224,718,632 which was unconstitutionally withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund in June 2023 to subsidise unnamed private financial enterprises and the Kshs.17 billion contested oil shipment between Ms Njeri and the two Cabinet Secretaries,” he noted.
Omtatah now says the deal between Njeri and Cabinet Secretaries Davis Chirchir (Energy), and Kipchumba Murkomen (Transport) on importing the Kes 17bn diesel went sour, hence the ongoing tussle.
He said that the money was irregularly withdrawn from the Ministry of Energy accounts, having been deposited from the Treasury, which violated the Public Finance Management Act.
