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The Nairobian

Saitoti: When Ouko was murdered somebody wanted me dead too

Business

By The Standard Business | Dec 22, 2010

ALEX NDEGWA

He survived poisoning around the same time Ouko was murdered.

Internal Security Minister George Saitoti spoke for the first time about the attempt on his life two decades ago when he served as Vice President in the Kanu regime.

Saitoti broke his silence on Wednesday in Parliament where he tore into a report by a select committee, which investigated the mysterious death in 1990 of the then foreign affairs minister Robert Ouko.

Parliament eventually trashed the report- arising from a 2004 probe into the discovery in February 1990 of Dr Ouko’s charred remains at the foot of Got Alila- questioning its credibility.

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MPs concluded the report, which fingered top officials in the Kanu regime, is based on hearsay and named individuals without corroborating the evidence.

The Kajiado North MP, also the acting Foreign Affairs Minister, recalled he was on "death bed" following a poisoning incident that chillingly occurred "no difference of a day" within Ouko’s death.

"Those who got institutional memory know that at the time Ouko was killed I suffered from poison. I was totally unconscious. Saitoti was on a deathbed. This is not my original skin," an angry Saitoti told members, displaying his hands.

Poking holes into the credibility of the report prepared by the committee chaired by former Kisumu Town East MP Gor Sunguh, Saitoti added:†

"How come the committee never deemed it fit to carry out investigations into why the Vice President was almost dying at the same time?"

Saitoti’s angry reaction was prompted by a section of the committee report, which had alleged as the then Finance Minister he had tried to interfere with a project.

"An agenda between two countries is such that a project is decided much ahead and can’t be altered by a minister at will. "

Agriculture Minister Sally Kosgey, who served as a diplomat at the time, also said the report was riddled with falsehoods. She added the committee did not corroborate their evidence.

MPs cited the divisions within the committee over the recommendations to push for its rejection. Only six of the 10 members signed the report.

Imanyara and Gichugu MP Martha Karua unsuccessfully pleaded that the recommendation for the Government to institute fresh investigations should not be killed by throwing out the report in its entirety.

"This country will never come to rest until we find those who murdered Dr Ouko. Let the truth be told and let the guilty continue to be afraid," Imanyara said.