• Kidero said some of the properties the commission claims he owns, and whose value adds to Sh8 billion, do not belong to him.
• He termed the claims by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission a perfect case of witch-hunt laced by lies.
Image: FILE
Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has dismissed as perpetuation of malice against him, claims by the anti-graft agency that he acquired wealth valued at Sh8 billion through illicit means.
The former Mumias Sugar Company managing director said the claims by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission are a perfect case of witch-hunt laced with lies.
“I acquired the property I have before I went to City Hall. I was not a public servant. The time I was at City Hall I acquired only one property,” Kidero protested.
On Tuesday, EACC chairman Eliud Wabukala revealed that the commission has moved to court seeking to attach assets belonging to a sitting governor and three former county bosses.
The commission claimed that the four amassed massive wealth valued at Sh11.5 billion during their tenure as governors but could not explain how they got it.
Wabukala told a Senate committee that the agency was going after Kidero’s Sh8 billion assets, his successor Mike Sonko’s Sh1 billion property, former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu’s Sh2 billion assets and Samburu Governor Moses Lenolkulal’s Sh500 billion worth of assets.
But Kidero said some of the assets the commission claims he owns and whose value adds to Sh8 billion, do not belong to him.
“Some of the property they claim are mine, are not mine,” he said.
In an affidavit sworn by the former governor to counter EACC claims in 2018, Kidero listed several assets, including buildings, parcels of land and vehicles, which the commission claims belong to him but are not.
They include Yala Towers on Koinange Street valued at Sh2 billion, Muthaiga Heights in Parklands valued at Sh3 billion, Community Bank Building valued at Sh1 billion and Prisons building valued at Sh2 billion.
“That with the sole intention of creating the false narrative that I illegally acquired wealth while holding public offices, the deponent herein, in an utter act of perjury, has knowingly and maliciously lied to the court concerning property allegedly belonging to me,” the affidavits reads.
He also says several vehicles – KBTL 001L Toyota Lexus, KAH 523E Toyota Saloon, KAD 034L Peugeot Saloon, KAE 262Q Peugeot Saloon, KAD 945A Mercedes Benz and KAR 645Z-405 GR Saloon – do not belong to him.
He challenged the commission to conduct a search to establish the owners of the assets to ascertain ownership. Kidero said he can account for all the property he owns.
“I have houses in Nyari in Nairobi, which I acquired in the 90s, in Gigiri I acquired houses in the 90s and in Kisumu I bought the houses in 2005. Others in Nairobi I bought in 2006 and 2007. So this thing that they are investigating me for acquiring public property is just malice and witch-hunt."
“I worked for about 35 years in the private sector and I was fairly well paid, and I invested well,” he told the Star on Wednesday.
He added in the affidavit, “It is apparent that the investigations herein are but a fishing expedition, it is no wonder the 2nd respondent is purporting to investigate all my property, including the ones acquired as early as the year 1987!”