CS Sicily Kariuki: I asked Uhuru to disband Youth Fund board

Gender and Youth Affairs CS Sicily Kariuki table Youth Enterprise Development Fund report to the National Assembly Public Investment Committee at Parliament on Wednesday 09/03/16. She appeared to shed light on the Youth Fund saga. PHOTO.BONIFACE OKENDO

Youth Cabinet Secretary Sicily Kariuki sought the President's intervention last month to disband the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) over the Sh180 million scandal but no action was taken.

The CS told the National Assembly Public Investment Committee that she decided to act to ensure that the ongoing investigation into the fraudulent payment of Sh180 million to Quorandum Limited, a consultancy firm hired to design a comprehensive ICT strategy and enterprise resource planning design, was not interfered with.

In a  letter dated February 15, addressed to the Chief of Staff Joseph Kinyua, Ms Kariuki urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to send the entire YEDF board home to allow for proper investigations.

"The purpose of this communication is to request your good office to facilitate the issuance of a directive for the removal and replacement of the YEDF board pursuant to powers bestowed on His Excellency as stipulated in the State Corporation Act," her letter said.

Members of the committee led by Chairman Aden Kenyan (Eldas) demanded to how why it took the ministry so long to act.

"A lot of cleaning up needs to be done. From where I sit, I require the full support of the leadership to tackle the mess, including dealing with cartels," said the CS.

Mr Keynan said that going by the information gathered by his committee, it is very clear the agency could have lost much more.

"Throughout our inquires, we have established serious theft. We don't know the extent of the scam but going by the conduct of the board, the Government should act expeditiously to nail the culprits," he said.

He added: "The President should immediately suspend the board in order to protect public goods. This will enable the investigating agencies to fast-track the probe without hindrances."