Civil Society wants EACC boss Halakhe Waqo out of Sh791 NYS investigation

EACC boss Halakhe Waqo. National Civil Society Congress claims Waqo is a stumbling block in NYS investigations; asks President Uhuru to intervene. (PHOTO: FILE/ STANDARD)

The civil society now claims Ethics and Antic-corruption Commission (EACC) boss Halakhe Waqo is the stumbling block in the ongoing investigation on the National Youth Service scandal.

National Civil Society Congress (NCSC) yesterday said both the secretariat led by the Chief Executive Officer and the commissioners have no capacity to unravel the heated NYS saga to ensure justice.

"What has Waqo ever done since getting to office? The chicken gate scandal, mileage allowances for members of parliament and now the NYS and no one has been made responsible. He leads shallow investigations just for the truth to be uncovered later," said NCSC president Morris Odhiambo.

Odhiambo lamented on the decision to make EACC commissioners work on part-time which has contributed to the inefficiency of the anti-graft agency: "The best they do is show up for meetings but they have no authority."

The civil society body further called on Josephine Kabura not to honour Waqo's summons to appear before the commission tomorrow for questioning over the explosive affidavit.

The alleged salonist to Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru shocked the country with her 16 page affidavit that described how she delivered Sh10 million to Waiguru's house in Runda area meant to 'sanitise' her before the media.

"If Kabura has anything else to say, let her speak to the EACC chair Philip Kinusu together with the commissioners. Waqo will just use the information to make the whole investigation vanish," claimed Odhiambo.

Ms Kabura was scheduled to appear before the commission on Thursday but failed to honour the summons with her lawyer stating that she was unwell.

Odhiambo noted it is high time Kabura is given protection but again dismissed that the police can do a good job in that since they are also compromised.

"In our view, Kabura's affidavit demonstrates that EACC, the Banking Fraud Investigations Department, the Director of Criminal Investigations, and some officers of the police service are helplessly compromised," added the NCSC president.

NCSC asked the president and his deputy to directly intervene to unwrap the saga once and for all: "It is time to throw Waiguru under the bus or else the government will find it hard to in 2017."