My life is in danger, says Waiguru

Majority Leader Aden Duale reacts to Anne Waiguru's claims at Parliament Buildings. [PHOTO: GEORGE NJUNGE/standard]

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru now says her life is in danger and wants police to protect her.

She has written to the Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet seeking his protection citing veiled threats including one by National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale following her explosive affidavit on the Sh791 million National Youth Service scandal.

Waiguru also cites other senior politicians who have also accused her of breaking the Jubilee coalition. "Knowing Kenya's political climate and the influence that these politicians command, I am naturally fearful for my life.

 I am also worried that there will be attempts to interfere with investigations so as to ensure there are trumped-up charges against me," she wrote in the letter received at police headquarters yesterday.

"I am therefore requesting your office to issue me with appropriate security to forestall any possible attacks on me," the letter concludes.

It emerged yesterday that investigations on the claims had started and there were plans to deploy security for her.

Waiguru linked the threats to an affidavit she swore detailing how politicians and their associates joined forces with perpetrators of the NYS saga, for which dozens of businesspeople and former State officials are facing trial over fraudulent payments.

"Upon the issuance of my affidavit, I have received both veiled threats including one by Hon Aden Duale in which he promised to go on sabbatical to go after Anne Waiguru. Other senior politicians have also accused me of breaking the Jubilee Coalition," says part of the letter.

"Whilst I trust the investigative and prosecutorial institutions to be guided by the law, I feel that unless I am issued with appropriate security arrangements I stand a risk of being physically harmed," she said.

She added: "I am therefore requesting your office to issue me with appropriate security to forestall any possible attacks against me."

In the letter, she introduces herself as a former Devolution CS and adds that in the last several months, there has been an orchestrated campaign to link her with a spate of theft and corruption at the ministry and some of its departments and more particularly, NYS. "After extensive investigations, I was cleared by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and a letter to this effect issued. Soon thereafter a fraudulent and false affidavit was sworn by one of the persons charged with the theft of NYS monies making wild and unsubstantiated allegations. I am convinced that this was the work of the masterminds of the thefts at NYS."

Waiguru has since sworn an affidavit in which she named National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, Duale and Senate Deputy Majority Leader Kipchumba Murkomen as having played a role in the saga.

There is pressure on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission to question the politicians including Deputy President William Ruto's personal assistant Farouk Kibet.

Thorough Investigations

They have all denied any wrongdoing and asked Waiguru to carry her own cross.

At the weekend, former Prime Minister Raila Odinga joined the debate and told the leaders to resign from their appointive positions.

Raila wants them to resign from their positions until their role in the NYS saga is thoroughly investigated and established.

"Other Cabinet secretaries have been made to resign out of allegations of involvement in corruption. The law that was applied in the cases of Charity Ngilu, Kazungu Kambi, Felix Koskei, Davis Chirchir and Michael Kamau must apply in the case of NYS and its suspects," read the statement.

The Opposition leader went on to say that Kenyans have lost confidence in the leaders, adding that they should step aside until they are proven innocent.

"By acts of commission or omission, these leaders have shattered the confidence and trust of the Kenyan people. They need to be held to account for that. The best thing they can do for the country is to resign and pave way for investigations," read the statement in part.

Waiguru was last Monday grilled for 10 hours before she left without speaking to journalists. She was taken through an affidavit sworn by the main suspect, Josephine Kabura, linking her to the scam.