Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri yesterday defended President Uhuru Kenyatta’s brother Muhoho against claims that he imported sugar into the country.
Muhoho Kenyatta didn’t import a single grain of sugar, he said.
Without naming names, Kiunjuri said Aldai MP Cornelius Serem appeared to be acting on behalf of someone on Tuesday when he singled out Muhoho in the sugar saga.
Serem sensationally picked out Protech Investment Limited owned by Muhoho Kenyatta from a list of companies tabled before Parliament in connection with massive sugar imports. He said the company of importing more than 180,000 tonnes.
“He thinks drawing in the name of the President or his family members will intimidate and weaken the resolve we have in the fight against corruption. Hata asimame juu ya miti ama mlima (Even if he shouts from the rooftop), the war is on and we will remain emboldened. What we see is corruption fighting back and he might be acting on behalf of someone,” Kiunjuri said.
Deputy President William Ruto’s allies, including Leader of Majority Kipchumba Murkomen and Kapsaret MP Oscar Sudi, have opposed President Kenyatta’s calls for a lifestyle audit of major public officers, starting with him and Ruto. The DP has accepted the audit but says it must be fair and not selective.
Yesterday Kiunjuri, who was accompanied by top ministry officials, dismissed Serem’s claims and said Muhoho did not import any sugar.
He said invoking or dragging the names of members of the First Family into ongoing saga was a ploy to derail the fight against contraband goods and contaminated goods.
“In this war against corruption, which we all support, we must avoid politicising it, settling scores, maligning others, misrepresenting reports, and misleading Kenyans by deliberately distorting information by misusing the privileges of the offices we hold,” Kiunjuri said.
The war on corruption has opened cracks between the President’s and Ruto’s allies. The DP’s lieutenants are getting jittery and suspicious that the corruption war and purge are targetting the DP and designed to undermine him and his bid for State House in 2022.
According to documents tabled in the National Assembly by the Cabinet Secretary, Protech was listed among 370 companies licensed to import sugar.
