Maize scandal: Raila fights back

By Alex Ndegwa

Prime Minister Raila Odinga is fighting back and says neither himself nor any member of his family ate from the plate of Sh3.6 billion maize scam.

"After spending months in luxurious hotels in the name of investigating food shortage, the committee of Mr John Mututho has come up with conclusions that smack of vendetta, smear campaign and settling of scores. Some of the conclusions stand out in their display of ignorance,’’ ran a statement issued by the PM’s office.

Raila’s fury pointed at the fireworks expected in the acrimonious Parliament when it finally debates the report implicating the son of the PM along with National Cereals and Produce Board Managing Director Gideon Misoi, Agriculture Permanent Secretary Romano Kiome and his Special Programmes counterpart Mohammed Ali.

The report by the House committee could also add fuel to the raging political rivalry in the ruling coalition, as it recommends that a sub-committee of the Cabinet on food security the PM chairs, be investigated by the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission over claim it influenced companies that tendered.

The PM, whose son was on Thursday linked to the maize scandals that rocked the country early in the year as thousands faced starvation, claimed he was target of a smear campaign.

To avoid being accused of pre-empting debate on the report of the House Committee on Agriculture, the PM’s position was given by Mr Dennis Onyango, the Director of Communication in his office.

The PM’s office also accused a member of the committee, Mr Kambi Kazungu of fanning the claims against the PM, to avenge failure to be allotted the tender to import maize on behalf of the Government when food crisis worsened.

"These allegations are part of a smear campaign that has gone on for sometime, including yesterday, when sections of ministers claimed that the Cabinet did not meet yesterday because the PM boycotted. They never said why it did not meet on past three occasions,’’ said the PM’s office.

Onyango added: "These allegations around maize are being pushed by corruption cartels that see the Prime Minister as stopping them from dipping their way into the granary."

Not exporters of maize

He went on: "I state that the PM and his family had no role whatsoever in the food shortage, has no links with the firms that imported maize, and the report is a waste of tax payers’ money, and an attempt by corruption networks to use the dignity of the House to defraud Kenyans."

He claimed Kaloleni MP Kembi Kazungu tendered to import maize, but his firm’s application to supply maize from Cameroon and Ivory Coast was rejected.

The Prime Minister, added the statement, was concerned that the two countries are not known to be exporters of maize.

Raila alleged Kazungu, a member of the committee that recommended the PM’s son, associates, and personal assistant be investigated over the maize scam, attempted to influence the tender by resorting to Tanzania.

Tanzania, according to the statement, said it could only sell 4,000 tons of maize and the PM rejected alleged illegal proposal by the MP to import maize from its black market.

"Mr Kazungu later indicated that his company could buy maize through the black market in Tanzania and bring it into Kenya via Taita-Taveta," Raila claimed.

We could not reach Kazungu to respond to the Prime Minister’s allegations as his phone went unanswered and it later became unreachable.

But Speaking on behalf of Kazungu, Committee chairman John Mututho said the Kaloleni MP declared his interest to the committee that he would like to tender for the supply of the maize.

However, he noted that if at all he told the Cabinet committee that he would get maize through the black market then it’s up to the PM to adduce evidence before the House.

Have no scores to settle

Mututho also said it would be possible for Kazungu to get maize from Cameroun as the commodity is normally in heavy vessels off-shore and whenever there is a market for maize they move its load to the required destination

He also defended their report, saying they have no vendetta against the Prime Minister. "I have no scores to settle against anyone. I just wish the Prime Minister’s office should be patient with me and react to my contributions when the matter comes before the House for debate," said Mututho.

He said he would be tabling evidence, some of which are real, including text messages and telephone conversations involving those mentioned in the report.

On allegations that the firms mentioned by the PM’s office were reputable, Mututho called for further investigations to ascertain whether the companies were local.

"The ad hoc committee does not procure food. Its mandate is to co-ordinate, on behalf of the Cabinet, the execution of the decision by the Cabinet to import emergency food and to report back to the Cabinet about progress on the same," Onyango said.

The PM said he chaired the committee comprising four ministries in his capacity as co-ordinator and supervisor of Government ministries.

Raila maintained the three foreign firms awarded contracts to import three million bags of maize to ease the food shortage were contracted through competitive bidding, contrary to allegations they were single-sourced.

On claims the PM’ family had links to the companies, Raila said "all the firms existed long before Mr Odinga became Prime Minister or chairman of the ad hoc Cabinet committee on food."

He said the three firms – Euroworld Commodities Limited, Senwes and Afrgi Trading – were all publicly quoted firms "available for any serious committee that wants to establish whether they are foreign or Kenyan."