Wetang'ula praises Haji over arrests

Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetang'ula (pictured) has lauded Director of Public Prosecution Noordin Haji for ordering the arrests of senior Government officials over the Arror and Kimwarer dams scandal.

Mr Wetang'ula, who spoke in Nakuru yesterday, said any Government official linked to corruption should face the law regardless of their position.

“To win the war against graft we must fight it without looking at the positions of power the accused persons hold in Government. The DPP should crack the whip on all suspects linked to the dams' scandal based on their involvement."

Haji ordered the arrest of National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich, his Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge, East Africa Community PS Susan Koech and former Kerio Valley Development Authority Managing Director David Kimosop, among others.

Wetang'ula said that those mentioned should be treated 'just like any other suspects' where their constitutional rights were respected.

“The Constitution is clear that everyone is innocent until proven guilty. If there is any evidence indicating that the persons mentioned by the DPP transgressed the law in their capacity, they should be charged accordingly."

The Bungoma senator said that all citizens should support institutions set up to fight graft, adding that only then would the institutions tackle corruption cases without fear of confronting culpable senior Government officials.

“Graft is the greatest threat to the country’s development. As such, all State and non-State actors should stand with anti-graft institutions, including the DPP, Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Judiciary to fearlessly battle corruption,” Wetang'ula said.

The suspects have been accused of flouting procurement rules in handing the Arror and Kimwarer dams contract to Italian firm CMC di Ravenna in which the contract was reportedly inflated by Sh17 billion.