{UAH} Edmund/Pojim/WBK: Raila Spot On Over NYS And Eurobond | The Star

http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/raila-spot-over-nys-and-eurobond

Raila Spot On Over NYS And Eurobond

Raila Odinga, the icon of liberation politics, does not go public with a claim he cannot substantiate. History has confirmed this many times over, showing the opposition leader's capacity to gather information before he speaks on any sensitive public issue.

Those who have fallen within his probity radar, and others likely to be victims, better worry about how much the former Prime Minister knows, before daring him to a duel – legal or otherwise. Propaganda or protection by the embedded press and compromised journalists rarely hold in the face of public interest-inspired facts.

The former blue-eyed girl of the Jubilee regime must be ruing the moment she called out the former Lang'ata MP to the ring. Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary, Anne Waiguru, is beginning to understand what she may have forgotten under the spell of executive power.

The self-declared whistle-blower has turned into a suspect in the multi-billion shilling National Youth Service tender scam. The turn of status has been rich in drama and circumstance. The anti-corruption police do not usually raid suspects' houses for friendly chats. No spin can make such calls breakfast shows.

Observers were beginning to wonder why the investigative agencies were redefining the Witness Protection law on short notice. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission last week made a 360 degree turn. The agency told the public it had not declared the photogenic Anne, the roughrider of the Jubilee era, a witness or a whistle-blower.

Ms Waiguru is, in order of seniority, the agency's lead suspect in the NYS scandal. She will retain this status until the agency runs through the pillars of criminal investigation: opportunity, means and motive.

The agency has hit the turning point: it wants to rebrand as a credible agency that can probe public officers, without gag or compromise.

It also appears President Uhuru Kenyatta has renewed his resolve to slay the dragon of corruption without fear or favour. If the resolve runs the full course, Waiguru and other suspects would have to fry in their fat.

Waiguru is now fair game. She is on her own. She may have forgotten Raila's resilience on these matters. Or she may have simply been wallowing in the delusion of patronage.

Now, the seal of impunity has been removed. The Pope's prayer for resolve in the fight against corruption seems to be working. It is hoped it can outlast the nostalgia of the Papal visit.

When Raila first raised the flag on the Sh790 million scam, Waiguru and her handlers dismissed the claim as opposition-talk. The claim then graduated into an attempted fraud, which was blamed on a "lost password".

It took months to name or arrest the suspects in the "attempted" breach of the integrated financial management system. By the time the narrative changed to some money "may have been lost", Waiguru had turned herself in as a "whistle-blower".

Later she presented to the public a Directorate of Criminal Investigation report on the "attempted fraud". The self-declared whistle-blower then threatened to sue, and actually sued, Raila, for casting aspersions on her "distinguished public service career".

The recipient of presidential accolade for "outstanding public service" had jumped into the ring out of excitement. That, is now history.

Welcome to the public searchlight on National Treasury CS Henry Rotich. The changing narrative of the Eurobond has earned you a place for public scrutiny.

Cord accuses the Jubilee Government of failure to account for Sh140 billion of the Sh250 billion Eurobond loan. Cord has tabled four questions it wants the CS to answer, publicly, as required by Article 34 and 35 of the 2010 Constitution.

In a slip of judgment that narrows wriggle room for Rotich, the CS invited Raila to a boardroom presentation of the figures. But the season of disclosures requires publication of all accounts of revenue and expenditure.

It is also possible the architects, executioners and custodians of the Eurobond account may soon understand this. The denial and defensive phases of the saga may evolve into another classic case of whistle-blowing.

Initially, Controller of Budget Agnes Odhiambo and the Office of the Auditor General had doubts on the probity of the Eurobond. But Ms Odhiambo changed her mind, saying she had "no problem with the narrative". Although there was no indication of arm-twisting, cynics have not ruled out attempts to have government official buy into the official narrative.

The Eurobond may or may not turn out to be what Cord has described a "major theft in Kenya's history". Rotich may be right the Eurobond account is above board. He may also be wrong, but one thing is certain: He is not enjoying his turn on the chair of public probity.

The writer, a communications consultant, is also a university lecturer.

Raila Spot On Over NYS And Eurobond | The Star

http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/raila-spot-over-nys-and-eurobond

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