Former CS Anne Waiguru in court over plan to block her from public office

Jubilee's Kirinyaga governor aspirant Anne Waiguru has moved to the High Court to challenge a report recommending she should be barred from holding a public office.

Waiguru, a former Devolution CS, wants the court to declare, as null and void, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report on the multi-billion shilling National Youth Service (NYS) scandal.

The committee recommended that she should not hold a public office if found guilty after due process in the scandal that saw the country lose Sh791 million.

Through lawyer Mansur Issa, Waiguru argued the recommendation was reached on the basis of uncorroborated and false evidence by an affidavit by one of the key suspects, Josephine Kabura.

"PAC relied on uncorroborated, contradictory and false evidence of Josephine Kabura in her affidavit of February 23, 2016. The claims were the subject of an investigations which concluded Kabura lied on oath and recommended she be charged with false swearing," he said.

The lawyer said the committee disregarded the evidence of Ndegwa Muhoro, the DCI director, who had investigated the matter and found out that documents relating to the NYS scandal were found in the houses of suspects already facing prosecution.

Mansur said there is no new evidence to warrant a decision for fresh investigations against Waiguru, and that the decision is an abuse of office.

Waiguru, in her sworn affidavit, denied involvement in the scandal, stating that her name was brought in as a scapegoat to hide those behind the looting.

She swore PAC's finding - that a fake Supplies Branch contract for the construction of the 3.5 km of road in Kibera originated from her and was delivered by a stranger she allegedly sent - was a lie and lacked any basis in law.

She said the person said to have delivered the fake document is a stranger, and in the circumstances it is impossible to determine who sent the said stranger let alone link him to her.

"The allegation by Mr Hendrick Pilisi, the head of procurement at the NYS, I was the one who sent the 'stranger' is preposterous and was calculated to malign my name and to provide a scapegoat for the architects of the theft of Sh719,385,000 at the NYS," swore Waiguru.