The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) may have avoided scoring an own goal in the current sugar crisis after amendments that would have seen Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero prosecuted over the Mumias sugar woes were withdrawn from the House order paper.
Orange Democratic Movement Secretary for Political Affairs Opiyo Wandayi appeared to develop cold feet on his amendments that had called for legal action against Kidero and other former top officials of Mumias Sugar Company.
Wandayi (pictured) had wanted changes made to a report of the National Assembly Agriculture Committee on the sugar crisis to have Kidero and other former managers of the troubled company take responsibility for the miller’s financial problems.
That stiff legal action be taken against all managing directors, transport managers, commercial directors, national sales managers, procurement managers and other officials serving in the board of management of Mumias Sugar Company between 2011 and 2014 for losses incurred by the company, the proposed amendments stated, adding:
“That disciplinary action be taken against the staff who approved and paid extra invoices to some companies like Milicons and allowed execution of variations without first obtaining estimates and the approval of the management tender committee of the company.”
Kidero was the managing director of the miller between October 2003 and June 2012. The amendments would have been a twist of irony as the Jubilee coalition has been linking key Opposition figures, including Raila Odinga to the Mumias crisis.
Despite the amendments initially on the order paper, Wandayi appeared to change tune, just a day after Jubilee politicians led by House Majority Leader Aden Duale claimed that cartels close to the Opposition were responsible for the crisis.
Sugar report
Jubilee was responding to claims by Raila that President Uhuru Kenyatta had entered into sugar importation deals that were detrimental to the sector.
“There are a lot of issues surrounding the sugar crisis. Let us not speak about this matter,” Wandayi said yesterday when contacted on whether he would push through with his amendments targeting Kidero.
Other sources however confirmed that the amendments targeting Kidero will not be in today’s order paper when the sugar report comes before the House.
It is not clear why Wandayi, who is a key member of the former PM’s inner circle, had initially wanted the noose tightened around Kidero.
“Wandayi should tell us why he is only targeting the Mumias MDs between 2011 and 2014. We will shoot down the amendments if they come before the House,” said CORD Deputy Whip Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini).
