Waiguru wants court to quash PAC report

Kirinyaga Jubilee governor aspirant and former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru on Monday petitioned High Court to quash National Assembly Public Accounts Committee report on the Sh791m National Youth  Service scandal.

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report recommended that the former Devolution CS Waiguru be barred from holding public office if found guilty over the loss of public funds at the NYS.

The watchdog accused the Jubilee Governor aspirant of playing a key role in the complex racket that led to the loss of  taxpayer money in fraudulent tenders.

Now, the Ex-Devolution CS wants the High Court to declare irrational, unreasonable and unconstitutional the PAC findings that she was “responsible for the entire loss of funds in the Ministry during her tenure by her failure to exercise leadership effectively.”

“The conclusion was reached on basis of uncorroborated, contradictory and false evidence of one Josephine Kabura as contained in her affidavit of February 23rd, 2016 and therefore violates Articles 10, 46 and 125 of the Constitution,” read the petition filed by the Kirinyaga Jubilee governor candidate Waiguru.

On May 17, 2017, the National Assembly began debating on the recommendations of the report and five days adopted it, saying that  Waiguru should be barred from holding public office if found culpable of leadership failure.

Through her lawyer, Mansur Issa, Waiguru argued that PAC’s conclusion was premature and based on false evidence, blaming them of a witch-hunt to have her not run for the Kirinyaga County top seat in the upcoming August poll.

“The High Court should stop the Directorate of Criminal Investigations from commencing fresh investigations into claims of abuse of office laid upon my client,” said the petition submitted by Waiguru’s lawyer.

Waiguru insists that she did not participate in public funds looting, insisting that she is a scapegoat of malevolent forces bent on destroying credibility and excellent performance track record at the Devolution ministry.

In Kirinyaga County, Waiguru’s supporters demonstrated to protest PAC’s move to have  her barred from holding public office and re-investigated, saying that they will stand with the ex-Devolution CS as she is the right person to take over from the incumbent Governor Joseph Ndathi.