I have never looted money to bankroll NASA campaigns, says former Nairobi governor Evans Kidero

Nairobi governor Evans Kidero (centre), former Machakos Senator Jonhson Muthama (left) and Kibra MP Ken Okoth at the Panafric hotel, Nairobi. The NASA leaders met to plan the new campaign strategies for the NASA leader Raila Odinga. Photo/Elvis Ogina (Nairobi)

Former governor Evans Kidero has shrugged off President Uhuru Kenyatta's claims that he used public resources to bankroll the Opposition.

He also hit out at Governor Mike Sonko, saying he was inflating revenue collection figures and that they had not soared to Sh38 million daily, as he claimed.

Kidero said both Raila Odinga and Kalonzo Musyoka had the capability to fund their campaigns even before the introduction of county governments.

Kidero, who was speaking at the Gethsemane Ministries church, yesterday said the former prime minister and former vice president did not need his help to run their campaigns, having done this many times before.

“Raila Odinga vied for the presidency in 1998, 2003, 2008, and 2013 with Kalonzo Musyoka and there were no devolved units then, yet they funded their campaigns,” said Kidero.

He insisted that he had never funded any of the National Super Alliance (NASA) principals, terming the President’s sentiments as ‘unfortunate’.

“I have never given money to Kalonzo or Moses Wetang'ula. I am asking the President to stop making frivolous statements. He is the symbol of unity,” stated Kidero.

City Hall

President Kenyatta on Saturday said the reason the NASA camp was pleading for donations was because they were broke after Governor Sonko took over City Hall and sealed all loopholes that they used to loot money.

“Now they cannot steal from Kenyans to run their political affairs and that is why they are carrying around paybill numbers,” he said.

Kidero termed as a lie the claim of increased revenue collection at City Hall under Governor Sonko.