Waigurus grilling turns political as MPs trade barbs

A political between Members of Parliament played out at a Parliamentary Finance Committee meeting with Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru Tuesday, as members from the two opposing coalitions – CORD and Jubilee – exchanged political barbs.

The legislators, who were meant to hear Waiguru out on the controversy surrounding the National Youth Service (NYS) and the 800 million shillings she claims to have saved the ministry, instead turned the heat on each other, prompting throwing out of two legislators from the session.

Waiguru, who walked in armed with documents to answer to questions surrounding the controversial National Youth Service procurement scandal did not anticipate the heated exchange between the MPs.

Hers has been a tale of a dramatic turn of events. In disregard of her insistence that she was a whistle-blower, continued calls for her ouster were loud during the grilling.

The session attracted the presence of a number of Jubilee legislators who termed themselves as friends of the committee and had shown up in her support.

Waiguru has been at the centre of a multi-million scam surrounding the NYS procurement process.

The opposition called for her suspension and that of the NYS Senior Deputy Director General Adan Harakhe.

Late last month, Statehouse through spokesman Manoah Esipisu said that Ms Waiguru has not been implicated in any scandal and is not being investigated by any state agency.

Mid last month, irate youth from Kibera set ablaze a clinic and a toilet constructed by the NYS protesting the alleged financial impropriety by Ms Waiguru.

Report by Jackie Maribe