•Wahome says she cleared the matter of Mbiyu Koinange estate with DPP.
•Mutua says he was never prosecuted, helped EACC get to bottom of claims.
Ambulances, estate row ghosts accost Mutua, Wahome during vetting
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGA
Water Cabinet Secretary nominee Alice Wahome and her Foreign Affairs counterpart Alfred Mutua on Monday denied facing graft investigations.
There were claims that Wahome was yet to resolve a matter involving an unaccounted Sh284 million belonging to the estate of the late Mbiu Koinange.
MPs at the vetting panel put the two to task to explain the allegations which they said had not been clarified by the interviewees before.
For Mutua, Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi pointed out that his case was part of a “worrying trend of governors having been investigated by agencies for quite some time with cases not ending up in court.”
He also questioned how the ambulances case was concluded saying he had information the issue was dropped after an agreement between the AG, DPP, and EACC.
“Could you clarify what became of the project? How much money pumped into it? What became of the investigation? What of the infamous procurement of second hand vehicles and ambulances? Wandayi asked.
MPs also raised concerns about unexplained finances in the desilting of Maruba dam and whether the investigation was concluded.
In separate sessions, the two dismissed the allegations, with Wahome saying the debate on the Koinange millions features every time she seeks elective office.
“The file only comes to life when I am about to go to elections. The ODPP had the opportunity and looked at the matter and directed there is no criminal liability,” she said.
Wahome said that like any advocate handling estate, she undertook the duty to file a statement of account in court.
“We did account for the money we received. We have not been prosecuted or charged as it was malice on a party who didn't want to pay fees,” the Kandara lawmaker said.
Image: EZEKIEL AMINGA
For his part, Mutua maintained that he was never questioned about Maruba Dam, a project which MPs claimed ate up millions with no meaningful outcomes.
“I personally witnessed the works of desilting of the dam. If the investigative bodies are probing, let them continue. I know there is work going on,” he said.
The former Machakos governor said another query involving Sh50 million that was diverted to other uses was also resolved.
“The money was returned and we visited the Danida offices and those who were supposed to be surcharged were surcharged,” Mutua said.
On the vehicles, the governor said that he opted to save the county money instead of buying luxury cars for the executive members.
“When I became a governor, we were given Sh140 million to buy luxury vehicles for governors and executives. We had only four ambulances of which two were on top of stones.”
“So, I asked myself if we were to buy luxury vehicles or support the needs of mwananchi. I used Sh35 million to buy 16 second-hand vehicles and spent the rest of the money to buy 80 ambulances to serve the people of Machakos,” Mutua explained.
Wahome, the Water CS nominee, was for her part further put to task to explain how the water purchase agreements announced by President William Ruto would work.
The concern was that the purchase agreements could end up being costly for wananchi, and can be passed off as the government abandoning its key responsibility.
Wahome was also hard-pressed to explain concerns about her high temperament, which stemmed from the October 2017 incident where she allegedly attacked an IEBC officer.
Some lawmakers particularly Junet Mohamed (Suna East) raised concerns the nominee may not have a grasp of the country’s terrain.
“The docket she has been nominated to requires services all over the country. Does she know places outside Kandara?” he asked.
Lawmakers also demanded answers on whether her accusations against Deputy Chief Justice Philomena Mwilu, which featured during the latter’s vetting still stood.
At that time, Wahome wrote to the EACC seeking that the DCJ be probed for corruption, a matter she said no longer holds after Mwilu was approved.
On the cost, the Water CS nominee said there were existing laws and regulations through which the water sector would be managed.
“We will be able to come up with a proper framework that will ensure Kenyans are not exposed. The regulations in place have taken care of the cost in the existing regime.”