Former National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani is threatening to take legal action against the controller of the budget Margaret Nyakang'o for alleging that yatani facilitated the theft of public funds.
During her appearance before the Parliamentary Public Petitions Committee on Tuesday, Margaret Nyakang'o, the controller of the budget, said that she was forced to transfer billions of Kenya shillings by yatani just days before the 2022 general elections. she said that she was threatened to approve Ksh.6 billion for Telco acquisitions and Ksh.9.5 billion from the annuity fund.
According to Yatani, Article 223 of the constitution allows the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury to authorize expenditures that have not been appropriated by Parliament in certain circumstances, adding that once such funds are committed, "Article 223 (2) provides that parliamentary approval is sought post-facto within a period of two months."
"Allegations by the Controller of Budget that I exerted pressure on her to make "some payments" while serving as the Cabinet Secretary for The National Treasury are false, malicious and actionable in law. Her submissions to Parliament depicted my actions as Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury as designed to facilitate the theft of public funds," Yatani says
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"This depiction is libelous and defamatory to my character and professional service to the public in many capacities. I have instructed my lawyers to study her utterances and advice on a lawsuit against her person," he added.
Yatani goes on to say that the WhatsApp messages by the controller of budget alleging that she was coerced to transfer the funds don't prove anything and that it was not the first time she was being put under pressure, adding that she could not keep up with the speed of Uhuru's administration.
"The purported coercion through WhatsApp messages was a selective device. She should reveal to the public how many times I pressured her because she could not keep up with the speed of the then administration," added Yatani.