Mwangi Kiunjuri war with NGO board escalates

 

Pressure Wednesday piled on Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to step aside over claims of soliciting Sh20 million from an aid worker.

Mr Kiunjuri denied the claims, saying they were imaginary since the international aid worker is unknown.

"I received information in writing from the Directorate of Immigration and Registrar of Persons that indicated Delphine Bram Christopher does not exist. Even the relevant officials are unable to trace any record of such a person," said the CS at a briefing.

Step aside

Ms Christopher's allegations angered the National Council of Non-Governmental Organisations, which piled pressure on Kiunjuri to step aside to pave way for investigations into bribery claims.

"It is our firm position that the Devolution CS has engaged in abuse of office and should therefore step aside to allow for independent investigations by EACC," said the council's chairman Stephen Cheboi.

However, three other NGOs supported the embattled CS and dismissed the affidavit sworn by Christopher as baseless and slanderous.

The Society for International Development, Kenya Human Rights Commission and Trocaire International said they were not part of a delegation to Kiunjuri's office as claimed by Christopher.

"As representatives of civil society groups, we have never met Ms Christopher or been party to delegation that allegedly went to see the CS to plead with him to operationalise the PBO Act (Public Benefit Organizations Act 2013)," said George Kegoro.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission confirmed having received the petition by Christopher and was studying the document to ascertain if the grounds are sufficient to commence investigations.

And Kiunjuri Wednesday announced that he had dissolved the NGO Coordination Board.

The CS also said he had sent NGO Board Executive Director Fazul Mohamed on a 45-day compulsory leave to probe allegations over the authenticity of his degree. In his place, Kiunjuri has appointed Deputy Director Ali Yusuf Mohamed in acting capacity.

"If he will be found innocent, then he will be re-instated but until then Fazul is on compulsory leave," said Kiunjuri.

Christopher, an international aid worker swore an affidavit at the EACC detailing how Kiunjuiri and his senior advisor Wambui Kimathi, who is also his sister-in-law, allegedly solicited US$200,000 (Sh20 million) to operationalise the Public Benefit Organizations Act 2013.

She swore that members of civil society organisations were worried about the slow pace of operationalising the PBO Act and decided to seek the intervention of Kiunjuri.

On September 9, Christopher stated that they met at Kiunjuri's office where he gave a statement to operationalize the PBO Act and agreed to have the balance of US$100,000 when the Act was conclusively implemented.

The National Council of Non-Governmental Organisations in their statement said they had received complaints on Kiunjuri and his siter-in-law demanding favours from international NGOs.

The NGO board wants the CS investigated over the allegations of bribery and abuse of office.