MPs receive petition seeking to oust Auditor General Edward Ouko

A petition seeking the removal of Auditor General Edward Ouko from office has been filed in the National Assembly.

The petitioner, Emmanuel Mwagambi Mwagunah, is accusing Ouko and his deputy, Stephen Kinuthia, of inflating the cost an audit software from Ksh 18 million to Ksh 100 million and is calling on the National Assembly to recommend to President Uhuru Kenyatta to form a tribunal to investigate his conduct.

Speaker Justin Muturi has referred the petition to the Departmental Committee on Finance, Planning and Trade for consideration.

The Speaker has directed the Committee to guide the House, by way of a report, on whether or not the petition satisfies the requirements of the Constitution.

He has given the committee 14 days to submit the report to the House.

On February 2 this year, a Non-Governmental Organization filed a similar petition in the National Assembly seeking to compel the President to form a tribunal to remove Ouko from office.

According to the NGO, International Policy Group, the move was based on probe report by EACC that recommended Ouko be charged with abuse of office and failing to comply with procurement laws.

In his petition, Group Executive Director, Martin Nkari, said the report found that the Auditor General irregularly procured audit software for Ksh 100 million through direct procurement.

The petitioner said their move was necessary after the Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko failed to respond appropriately to the recommendations by the anti-graft commission.

However, on February 4, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Keriako Tobiko, cleared Ouko of graft allegations levelled against him.

Mr Ouko was accused of engaging in a project without prior planning leading to the loss of Ksh 100 million.

According to the DPP, the recommendations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to charge Mr Ouko with the misappropriation of Ksh 100 million and abuse of office lacked enough evidence to prosecute him.

The EACC investigations followed after a letter from the National Treasury raised queries on the alleged loss of money at the Office of the Auditor General.

The anti-graft body recommended that Mr Ouko be charged with the alleged loss of public monies, abuse of office and willful failure to comply with Public Procurement and Disposal Act among other charges.