NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 20 – Opposition Leader Raila Odinga is now pushing for the resignation of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir and his Treasury counterpart Njuguna Ndung’u over the Sh17 billion diesel scandal.
In a statement, Odinga alleged that the two top-ranking state officials had committed criminal offenses, abused office, and gone against the constitution.
The Azimio Coalition Leader cited evidence that showed that in June Treasury withdrew Sh17 billion to subsidize “private financial enterprises” which is now linked to a firm belonging to Anne Njeri.
“They stole money from the Consolidated Fund, in addition to spend monies way above what Parliament approved. They must not only resign. They must also be prosecuted,” Odinga stated.
The Former Prime Minister attributed his evidence to documents tabled by Busia senator Okiya Omtata showing the withdrawal of Sh42 million from the consolidated fund, without the authority of Parliament.
“I concur with the senator’s suspicion that Njeri is the ‘private financial enterprises’ funded by the Kshs 17,224,718,632 illegally from the Consolidated Fund and received by the Ministry of Petroleum,” said Odinga.
Omtatah’s evidence
Omtatah claimed that the government-financed businesswoman Ann Njeri Njoroge in the contentious Sh17 billion fuel deal that has been the center of controversy.
Omtatah stated that he had found evidence linking the government through National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u who authorized the withdrawal of Sh17.2 billion from the Consolidated Fund to subsidize a private enterprise.
The private enterprise according to the Busia Senator was Njeri’s company which was funded in June to import the fuel.
“Whereas what was financed by the 50955 19 Clauses (a) and (b) above is not disclosed, there is a direct correlation between the Kshs. 17,224,718,632 which was unconstitutionally withdrawn from the Consolidated Fund in June 2023 to subsidise unnamed private financial enterprises and the Kshs.17 billion contested oil shipment between Ms Njeri and the two Cabinet Secretaries,” he noted.
The vibrant activist now says the deal between Njeri and Cabinet Secretaries Davis Chirchir (Energy),Kipchumba Murkomen (Transport) on the importation of the Sh 17bn diesel went sour hence the ongoing tussle.
He said that the money was irregularly withdrawn from the Ministry of Energy accounts, having been deposited from the Treasury which was in violation of the Public Finance Management Act.
“I challenge CS Chirchir and CS Murkomen to stop fooling the nation and come clean on their relationship with Alice Njeri, whom I reasonably believe is their front in the heist, whom they have fallen out with,” Omtatah stated.
Chirchir insisted that businesswoman Ann Njeri presented forged documents with which she wanted to lay claim to 93,000 metric tonnes of diesel from Saudi Arabia saying the oil consignment belongs to Galana Energies.
In a statement on Wednesday, the CS gave a chronology of events leading to the importation and eventual discharge of the consignment at the Kipevu Oil Storage Facility on November 4.
He dismissed claims by the businesswoman that she is the bonafide importer of the cargo saying her application for an oil importation license was rejected on October 29 by the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA).
The CS said that Anns Import and Export Enterprises Limited submitted a license application to the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) on October 9, 2023, for the import and export of petroleum products (except LPG).
