Nairobi Governor Kidero Vows to Support War Against Corruption

Addressing the press after 6 hours of grilling at the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission offices, Kidero said he had been questioned on different issues, including the procurement of a transportation system for Nairobi, his tenure as the Managing Director of Mumias Sugar Company and land issues.

The governor distanced himself from any wrongdoing in the deal between the county and the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport to facilitate the upgrade of Nairobi's transport system, stating that no money exchanged hands in the deal.

"The document in question, the Strategic Framework Agreement for Nairobi Public Transportation System Improvement Program, remains that, a framework.”

“It creates no legal obligations on either party and no money was committed by the Nairobi County Government, nor was it ever contemplated that money would be committed,” he said.

Kidero also refuted claims that, while he was the Managing Director of Mumias Sugar, he paid a law firm, Ojienda & Co. Sh280 million as legal fees for services not rendered.

"I can confirm that no such amount was approved or paid by myself. The allegation is indeed the subject matter of court proceedings between the law firm in question and the Commission and I am not at liberty to comment further on it," he said.

He also denied involvement in both the State House land case and the Karen land saga.

FORMER PAC VICE CHAIR

Earlier in the day, former vice chair of the now defunct Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) Cecily Mbarire also spent some time at the EACC where she was questioned over her knowledge on the corruption allegations in the committee.

Speaking after appearing before the commission, Mbarire said she had met the commissioners not as a suspect but a witness in the ongoing investigations into the under dealings at the EACC.

The Runyenjes MP said she had no knowledge of any corruption allegations against herself or the committee chair Ababu Namwamba, who is accused of receiving a Sh5 million bribe.

Mbarire, who is accused of receiving Sh1.5 million in bribe, supported the disbandment of PAC saying the commission had no use being in existence if it did not command trust from Kenyans.

"I am fine with PAC being disbanded because such an important committee can't be in existence if it is dogged with corruption allegations," she said.

Mbarire noted: “Personally, I would not be comfortable returning to the committee unless the investigations are complete and I have been cleared of any wrongdoing.”

She further noted that the individuals who have implicated her and PAC chair Ababu Namwamba should come forward and substantiated their claims, asserting that she had not received any bribe from anyone.

By Benjamin Wafula