Anne Waiguru: I do not have TV screen worth Sh1.7m in my office

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru

Kenya: Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has denied having a TV screen worth Sh1.7 million and a piano worth Sh235, 900 in her office.

This comes a day after a House committee unearthed a list of inflated expenses in a department under her watch.

Waiguru in her Facebook and Twitter pages Wednesday accused the media of incessant attacks on her character over corruption claims against  the Devolution Ministry and the National Youth Service.

“It's amazing that whereas there are similar and more serious allegations of misuse of funds in many government departments there is never the personalized level of attack on CSs that has been directed at me. Surely this is no longer about the fight against corruption”, the CS said in a Facebook post.

She insisted that she does not engage in procurement, purchasing and signing or negotiation of contracts in the ministry.

“Both by law and in practice, I do not procure. I do not purchase anything for the ministry. I don't sign or negotiate contracts”, Waiguru said.

She added: “Where instances of possible malpractice has been brought to my attention I have called in investigative authorities. At no point has any investigation either by EACC, CID or any other body pointed to my personal engagement with corrupt deals. Yet the vicious unwarranted attacks continue”.

The CS said there is a deliberate refusal to recognise her role as a CS and that of officers who are either accounting officers or AIE holders in Government Depts.

“It's calculated evil, vindictive and ill intentioned. It's an unfortunate distraction from the work the Ministry has been doing in the last two year”, she added.

She has vowed to continue serving the country diligently.