You should appear before Parliamentary Committee over NYS funds, MP tells DP Ruto

Emurua Dikir MP Johana Ngeno has asked Deputy President William Ruto to present himself before the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) to shed light on the loss of National Youth Service (NYS) funds.

Ngeno said the recent outburst by the Deputy President was uncalled for, adding that if Ruto thinks what former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru stated in her submission was false, then he should dispute it before the committee.

“I would have expected the DP, knowing very well that he has been a Member of Parliament, to appear before that Committee if he thinks that whatever  (Anne) Waiguru mentioned in that particular investigation was not true, then he should appear there and dispute Waiguru’s allegations,” said MP Ngeno.

He said that all those who have been mentioned in the scandal should defend themselves before PAC, instead of making pronouncements at funerals and other public gatherings.

Pointing out that the Deputy President has not been directly named by Waiguru in her submissions before the committee; the Emurua Dikir legislator asked why Ruto was quick to attack the former CS over her remarks before the SRC.

Ngeno told Ruto to stop intimidating people who may have information about the alleged theft of Ksh1.8 billion at the NYS, adding that the DP should come clean about his interest in the matter.

In her submission before the PAC on November 4, Waiguru mentioned the DP’s personal assistant Farouk Kibet – an action that caused a section of the public to question whether the office of the Deputy President was involved in the scandal.

In a quick rebuttal, Ruto, who had previously defended Waiguru over graft allegations, told the former CS to carry her own cross. His sharply worded response prompted the former CS to send a circular to newsrooms questioning the DP’s intentions.

Read also: Carry your own cross, DP Ruto tells officials implicated in corruption

Echoing Waiguru’s statement, Ngeno pointed out that the DP should have no sway over the probe as his office does not investigate graft.

“I think the Deputy President has no powers to direct anybody to investigate. Just like Waiguru said, as far as we know, he is not part of the investigators. He doesn’t work with EACC; he works at the Office of the President as the Deputy President.

Ngeno now wants the committee to summon the DP’s aide Farouk Kibet and Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen to shed more light on their roles in the scandal, saying they were adversely mentioned.

Ngeno also said they want to know the role which the former head of administration in the Deputy President’s office Mary Keitany played at the time the scandal was detected at NYS.