Members of Parliament (MPs) have summoned State House representatives to explain why retired president Uhuru Kenyatta’s office has been running without funding.
“We are instructing our clerks to write to the State House Comptroller to come and appear to the committee on why the former president’s office is not receiving its perks.” National Assembly Implementation Committee chairperson Raphael Wanjala said today.
The Committee noted with concerns remarks by the Director of Communications to the Office of the fourth president Kanze Dena that indicated that retired President Uhuru Kenyatta has been funding his own official office.
“We are not going to allow that to happen yet we appropriate money as Parliament.” Wanjala added.
Although the specific dates have not been given on when State House Comptroller Katoo Ole Metito is to appear before Parliament, MPs want the State House representatives to appear before them to ensure the allocated funds are made available for the retired President.
Yesterday evening, in a rejoinder to Dena’s public disclosure on the sorry state the retired president has been subjected to, government Spokesman Isaac Mwaura said now they will not flout procurement regulations to pay for a private office leased by former president Uhuru Kenyatta after he rejected the one located in Nyari, Nairobi.
In a statement, government spokesman Isaac Mwaura stated that the Nyali office was used by the late President Mwai Kibaki for nine years between 2013 and 2022.
He indicated that based on this, it is a suitable office for any retired president and rejecting it and preferring that the government leases his own private home was against the procurement laws, regulations and procedures.
“In 2022/2023, the government purchased an office of the retired president. This office is located in Nyali, Nairobi. This is the office of the late President Mwai Kibaki used for 9 years between 2013 and 2022.” Mwaura stated.
He stated that based on this, Kenyatta wanted to be both a landlord and tenant at the same time as it would be a conflict of interest.
