Petitioner who wants Edward Ouko out of office says his life in danger

Petitioner who wants Edward Ouko out of office says his life in danger

The man behind a petition to oust Auditor General, Edward Ouko, failed to appear before a key House panel to present his evidence over threats to his life.

Emanuel Mwagambo, wrote to the Finance Planning and Trade Committee setting three conditions for his appearance before team.

One of his condition to the committee is that he must be heard behind closed doors, submits a written memorandum and that he, together with his family, be provided with state security.

In his letter to the House panel chaired by Ainamoi Member of Parliament, Banjamin Lang’at, Mwagambo said he has received numerous threats from unknown people ever since he filed his petition to have Ouko sacked.

“Since I filed the petition, I have been forced to take a low profile because of the threats I have received. My petition touches on influential personalities,” read his letter in part.

The committee is supposed to investigate the allegations against Ouko and advise the House if the petitioner discloses enough evidence for Parliament to ask the President to form a tribunal to probe Ouko and eventually take action.

Mwagambo has accused Ouko of gross violation of the Constitution by failing to submit timely audit reports to Parliament, skewed employment and violation of procurement rules.

The committee did not have objections to the petitioner’s pleas resolving that the Speaker of the National Assembly, Justin Muturi, writes to the Inspector General of Police seeking protection for the witness when he appears next Tuesday.

“We should not brush aside the concerns raised by the petitioner. Given the gravity of this matter, he could have stepped on some live-wire somewhere,” said Voi MP, Jones Mulolwa.

“The Auditor General is not an angel; he can also make a mistake. We need to protect this witness so that we can get to the bottom of the matter.”

Kangema MP, Tirus Ngahu, backed the prayers by the petitioner and asked Parliament to give him and his family state protection.

“These prayers are valid, the matter does not touch just the Auditor General but it also touchs other Kenyans,” he said.

Imenti North MP, Rahim Dawood, warned the committee against taking lightly the petitioner’s concern over his life saying should the panel fail to intervene, Parliament will be to blame in case of any misfortune.

“We have to give him the benefit of doubt, what if today he is knocked out, we will be responsible and we will not get the truth,” he said.

The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Keriako Tobiko to shed light to the circumstances under which Ouko was acquitted of charges of corruption and procurement.

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