Head of Public Service Felix Koskei has vehemently denied allegations linking him to a government plan to procure software for spying on Kenyans, managing President William Ruto’s communication, and countering opposition criticism.
The accusations were published by Daily Nation and referenced a lawsuit filed by Mary Wachuka Maina at the Milimani Law Courts.
The report alleged a scheme involving senior officials, including Treasury PS Chris Kiptoo, Attorney General Justin Muturi, speechwriter Eric Ng’eno, and businessman Jayesh Saini.
The purported Ksh.120 million ($923,346) project was to utilize software from Jipe Inc., a firm owned by Wachuka, to influence public sentiment and manage political communications.
Koskei refuted these claims, emphasizing he had never met Wachuka or had dealings with her company. He clarified that the government has no plans to acquire such software and criticized the newspaper for not seeking his response before publication.
Koskei demanded a retraction and a public apology, warning of legal action if these demands were not met.
PS Kiptoo also dismissed the allegations, labeling them baseless and inaccurate. He denied knowledge of the alleged software procurement and emphasized that Treasury operations adhere strictly to legal frameworks.
Kiptoo criticized the publication for associating him with unsubstantiated claims and demanded a retraction.
Wachuka, a Kenyan-Canadian citizen, sued government officials for breaching a verbal agreement regarding the software project. She alleges that public funds were mismanaged to finance the initiative, which reportedly involved international subcontracting.
Despite assurances from key officials, including Ng’eno, Wachuka claims the government failed to honor its financial commitments, leading her to incur substantial fines.
Wachuka is now seeking over Ksh.172 million in damages, citing harassment and threats from government representatives.
She also disclosed that she paid Ksh.122 million in penalties to Texos, a subcontracted American firm after the deal collapsed.
