Kalonzo claims extremely acidic, Mt Kenya elders say

Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka has alleged that the Government is promoting corruption  instead of fighting it.

The Mount Kenya Council of Elders has defended embattled Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru after the Opposition claimed the Government was shielding her from questions on alleged corruption in her docket.

The elders said there was a well-thought-out plan to humiliate and remove public servants from office on the basis of what they said were regions from where the public servants hail from.

At a press conference that brought together elders from Nakuru, Nairobi, Kajiado, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Kiambu, Kirinyaga, Nyeri, Nyandarua, Murang'a, Embu and Laikipia Sunday, the elders said the comments by Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka were "extremely acidic".

Mr Kalonzo had alleged that public resources were being used to protect Waiguru. He described Jubilee as a "crumbling administration" presiding over "tech-savvy looting of public funds through high-level institutionalised corruption".

Wailing mobs

"It seems there is a similar well-orchestrated scheme to surround and protect another set of senior public servants with wailing mobs and loud claims of witch-hunt. This is an outdated and primitive method of dealing with matters expected to affect any nation from one time or another," he said.

Kalonzo condemned what he called "outright endorsement and blatant public display of affection" for Waiguru by State House.

State House announced that President Uhuru Kenyatta will not suspend Waiguru as he did with the Cabinet Secretaries in the EACC list of shame.

The elders said the attack on "hard-working public servants" started with Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau before moving on to Waiguru and to Jacob Kaimenyi (Education).

"You can be sure that the next one will be another hard-working, cartel-fighting, impartial and transformative Cabinet Secretary," Ben Kanyenji, an elder from Embu said.

The elders say according to their analysis, those targeted had a similar background.

"They all oversee ministries that have in the past been ravaged by cartels of plunderers of public resources. It is clear that the ultimate intention of this crucifixion crusade is to hound out of office people seen to oversee projects that threaten certain leaders who now see their chances of ascending to power in 2017 quickly vanishing," they said. The elders said the Government should be allowed to work, adding that one could not expect maximum service from public servants if there is "constant noise and far-fetched allegations".

"Positive criticism yes but not constant harassment. Sowing seeds of discord is threatening the very fabric of our nation," they said.