You can’t summon the Prime Minister, Raila tells CS Rotich

CORD leader Raila Odinga has told off National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich over his invite to the national treasury offices.

Raila noted that CS Rotich does not have the mandate to summon him saying it is the duty of the National Treasury to make details of Eurobond public.

“I wrote a letter to the National Treasury through my lawyer, and instead of responding to the public, Rotich is writing me a letter through the media. Can a Cabinet Secretary write a letter to the prime minister?” questioned Raila amid applause from his supporters.

“It is up to Rotich to tell me that he has the document I was asking for and bring them to my office, not the other way round.”

The former prime minister has for some time maintained the tag he used during the grand coalition government with retired President Mwai Kibaki. Most of his supporters have also, in more than one occasion, referred to him using the title, despite the fact that the coalition government is no longer in place.

He termed Rotich’s move as a sign of disrespect saying it shows the level of negligence embodied in the Jubilee Government.

The CORD leader has asserted that the Eurobond was embezzled by the Jubilee Government, saying that there are no substantial projects funded by the money.

“Proceeds from the Eurobond have been embezzled because while the government is saying it has used it to fund projects, there is no evidence to back their claims,” said Raila.

Rotich had on Wednesday asked Raila to visit Treasury offices on Friday to receive documents which he had asked for in his press briefing a day before, seeking to demystify the mystery surrounding the Eurobond.

Raila however declined the invitation saying the information is of national interest and hence should be made public.

Raila further blamed the government for allegedly condoning corruption saying there is no need to defend those implicated in graft.

He claimed that Anne Waiguru, who resigned as the Cabinet Secretary for Devolution last month, is guilty of corruption, saying proclamation that she is a whistleblower on the issue of fraudulent transactions at the National Youth Service (NYS) does not justify her innocence.

Raila said that Waiguru and other officers at the Devolution Ministry should be held accountable over corruption allegations at the NYS and the ministry that led to the loss of Sh791 million.

Raila is also set to meet ODM delegates in Migori after the meeting slated for Thursday was postponed to a later date.