CORD leader Raila Odinga yesterday said he was no going to apologise to Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru for linking her to the National Youth Service scandal.
Responding to a demand by Waiguru that he retracts his statements, the former Prime Minister said that the CS "will regret taking me to court".
"I have never been afraid of court battles and this is not a special one. I did not defame her or abuse her, I only talked the truth," he said.
He was speaking after a breakfast meeting with the Editor’s Guild at the Stanley Hotel in Nairobi where he said he has no vendetta against Waiguru.
"We were called names when we said money was lost. She said that no money was lost then weeks later reveals that money was lost. What was her interest in misleading the public? What is her relationship with the suspects?" Raila said.
In a letter by her lawyers dated September 14, Waiguru has demanded the former Prime Minister to retract his statements within seven days.
Waiguru has demanded a "written, unconditional and unreserved apology" from Raila, who she says defamed her on July 17 at a press conference.
She also wants Raila to make an admission of liability, further to which she shall address the issue of damages.
Waiguru also wants the opposition chief to undertake that he will never utter any defamatory statements against her in the future.
But Raila's lawyer Paula Mwangi said that lawsuit filed by Waiguru is a great opportunity for her to "explain to Kenyans on oath, the shenanigans that have been reported in respect of NYS and IFMIS and her involvement or lack thereof in those issues."
"Particularly, it’s a great opportunity to explain to Kenyans how and why she is receiving preferential treatment from the president in matters of corruption unlike other cabinet secretaries. This is what Raila refers to when he says people are not being treated equally in matters regarding the fight against corruption," Mwangi said.
Raila and other Cord politicians have insisted that Waiguru is receiving preferential treatment from President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Raila has accused President Kenyatta of mocking the war on graft by removing Waiguru's name from the List of Shame, saying the Devolution CS was aware of the scandals.