Blame game as Sonko blasts Ouko, claims she stole county funds

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko has accused the suspended County Executive Committee members of siphoning public funds.

Responding to claims by Janet Muthoni Ouko, who resigned as Nairobi County Education CEC on Monday, the Governor claimed that she was involved in massive withdrawals of county funds set aside as bursary for needy children.

According to Sonko, the former CEC cancelled the cheques written to these students and raised other cheques in favour of their proxies and private limited companies.

“I told Ouko that her docket was involved in the graft and if she is mentioned she will go to court and if you are implicated you will be prosecuted and that is what she is calling blackmail. We have to account for these funds and there will be audit queries,” he said during

Sonko further indicated that he had accepted her resignation adding that graft in the guise of friendship in his tenure will not be tolerated.

While presenting documents showing withdrawals from various branches around Nairobi, the governor said he has since involved the anti-graft agency and the Banking Fraud Investigation Unit to probe further.

Sonko claims that the siphoning of funds started in 2013 before he took office but promised to follow through until all those involved are brought to book.

In a previous interview with Citizen TV, Ouko had painted a picture of a chaotic County Executive wing running on autopilot.

“It is not fine to have people living under fear of blackmail, EACC, arresting, locking up offices, its chaos…,” she said.

Responding to Sonko’s allegations on Wednesday, Ouko insisted that working conditions in the Cabinet were tainted with intimidation and threats of sacking.

She further denied any misappropriation of funds in her docket saying she is ready to answer to any queries regarding the funds in question.