Dissolve Cabinet, Raila Odinga now tells President Uhuru Kenyatta

The Opposition has asked President Uhuru Kenyatta to dissolve his Cabinet, claiming it is dysfunctional.

Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) leaders claimed they had information that implicates at least 30 per cent of the current Cabinet Secretaries in corruption.

CORD co-principals Raila Odinga (centre), Kalonzo Musyoka (right) and Moses Wetang’ula (second left) address a press conference in which they reacted to President Uhuru Kenyatta’s speech on corruption at a Nairobi hotel, yesterday. They urged the Head of State to give a clarification on Eurobond money. (PHOTO: WILLIS AWANDU/ STANDARD)

Mr Raila Odinga, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka and Mr Moses Wetangula also called for immediate resignation of Cabinet Secretary for Treasury Henry Rotich and his Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge alleging Eurobond billions cannot be accounted for.

Speaking yesterday in response to President Uhuru Kenyatta's latest onslaught against runaway graft, the Opposition leaders claimed the Head of State lacked political goodwill to fight corruption.

"Mr President, one third of the Cabinet is currently embroiled in corruption scandals. As Opposition, we have enough material to put into question the integrity of at least another one third of the CSs," said the statement read by Kalonzo.

"Our position, therefore, is that the Government as currently constituted is dysfunctional. The time has come for the President to dissolve the Cabinet and appoint a new one and subject any persons retained from the former Cabinet to a fresh round of Parliamentary vetting," it added.

They accused President Kenyatta of rhetoric, saying very little was being done to fight the menace. They demanded that "the Government gets to the root of corrupt actions, assigns responsibility and recover what was looted (from) the looters."

Raila revisited the Sh289 billion Eurobond that he said was floated by the Government on the Irish Stock Exchange, questioning why the money was banked in an offshore account and not the Consolidated account as required by the law.

"Who takes responsibility for this breach of the law? Who were the signatories to this offshore account? How much interest did this money earn and where is that interest? What were the proceeds of Eurobond spent on here in Kenya?" posed Raila.

The Cord leaders further raised concern with the explanation that some of the money was given to the Ministry of Devolution and Planning.

Said Raila: "At what stage did Devolution and Planning get involved in infrastructure development and which projects did they implement?"

Borrowing money

He protested against the Government's move to borrow money in the name of the people and fail to account for it.

"It is enough to get the Treasury CS and his PS out of office. In fact, we demand that (they) resign to pave way for independent investigations... followed by action that suits the crime," read the statement.

Making reference to at least 12 laws and nine institutions dedicated for the fight against graft, the leaders said Kenya does not need more laws and more institutions to fight corruption.

Raila said that Singapore, judged to be the least corrupt country in the world, had only one law to fight the vice.

They also hit out at the Jubilee administration for what they termed as a spirited effort at undermining institutions using its numbers in Parliament to amend laws meant to champion and strengthen the war on corruption. Kalonzo told President Kenyatta that Kenyans were only interested in commitment to winning the war against the menace that has left the country bleeding.

"Nearly all our institutions meant to fight corruption are plagued by tribalism, which only perpetuate the vice. That is why a critical body like the Public Private Partnership Petition Committee in Kenya gazette (July 4, 2014) has members from just two communities," claimed Kalonzo.

Yesterday, the President created the Office of Management and Budget to be part of the Presidency, another layer and another institution meant to strengthen the Presidency and weaken existing legal ones, they observed. The CORD leaders sensationally claimed they had information that former Devolution and Planning CS was destined for a senior position in Government.

"We have information that Anne Waiguru, who was recently quoted as asking to be given light duties, is destined to be appointed to head that office (Office of Management and Budget). She will be de facto Treasury boss and head of Civil Service," they claimed.

They said the creation of the new office was against the constitutional provision that the National Treasury prepares the budget and the CS submits it before the National Assembly.