The United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Secretary General Cleophas Malala has accused former President Uhuru Kenyatta and opposition chief Raila Odinga of being the purported masterminds behind the Ksh.17 billion oil scandal linked to self-proclaimed businesswoman Ann Njeri.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday, Malala questioned why the two leaders have publicly commented on the government’s move to confiscate the oil consignment, further suggesting that the duo have vested interests in the shipment.
“Hiyo yote ni propaganda ya kujaribu kuharibia serikali yetu jina. Swali tunafaa kuuliza Njeri, biashara yake ya Kenya iko wapi yenye alifanya na akatengeneza Ksh.17 billion?” Malala posed.
“Huyo mama ata kiosk hana na ako na Ksh.17 billion? Na mnaona vile hii mambo imetokea ndio Raila anaanza kuongea mambo ya mafuta. Uhuru Kenyatta pia ameamka.”
Malala further purported that the cash used to procure the oil consignment was stolen from public coffers during Uhuru’s last term in office.
“Wakati tulienda kura mliskia kuna Ksh.16.9 billion ilipotea. Hiyo pesa walitoa kwa madola wakapeleka kwa makampuni zao kule nje. Sasa wameenda wakachukua pesa kule nje wakanunua mafuta ikuje kwa njia ya Njeri ndio hiyo pesa irudi hapa Kenya,” he said.
“We already know your interests in that scandal. Wameanza kutisha rais ndiyo rais akubali mafuta yao iingie, hiyo mafuta ikiingia wagawane pesa zao zile ambazo walikuwa wamepora Kenya. Uhuru and Raila must declare their interests in this fuel scandal.”
On Saturday, Busia Senator Okiya Omtatah alleged that the government financed Njeri in the contentious Ksh.17 billion fuel deal.
Omtatah, who took to X (formerly Twitter), claimed that the State through Treasury Cabinet Secretary Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u funded the businesswoman in June to import the fuel and that she is only being used as collateral.
In documents he shared on the social platform, Omtatah cited a past gazette notice dated July 13, 2023 where CS Ndung’u authorized the withdrawal of Ksh.17.2 billion from the Consolidated Fund to subsidise a ‘private enterprise.’
“As per the Statement of Actual Revenue and Net Exchequer Issues gazetted by Prof. Ndung’u, the CS Treasury, vide Gazette Notice No. 9734 of 13 July, 2023, the ministry withdrew from the Consolidated Fund some Kshs. 17,224,718,632 in June 2023, at the closure of the FY 2022/2023, for subsidies to private financial,” stated Omtatah.
The Busia legislator thus asserts that Njeri is the ‘private firm’ referred to in the notice.
