UDA wants ‘handshake’ regime to account for Ksh15.5B released days to August 9 polls

United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party now wants ‘handshake’ government to be held accountable for Ksh15.5 billion released by the National Treasury five days before the August 9 general election.

In a statement read by UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala, the party said Ksh4 billion released for maize subsidy did not reach the millers.

“The revelations by the Controller of Budget yesterday were extremely shocking, astonishing, inconceivable and simply depressing. Stealing over 15 billion Kenyan shillings in under 26 minutes just before the end of Uhuru’s tenure is deeply troubling. It is outrageous that these two so-called “handshake partners” were actually partners in crime!

“The controller of the budget has confirmed that 4 billion was released to pay maize millers for subsidies, yet the maize millers never received the money. This was yet another act of shameless theft by the handshake brothers,” Malala said.

He further said fuel and maize subsidies under the “handshake” regime were a conduit to “steal money for Raila Odinga’s campaigns”.

“The political hypocrisy by the Azimio leaders witnessed in the recent past is traumatizing to Kenyans who are facing hard economic times. As if stealing tens of billions within minutes is not enough, the thieves are not even courteous enough to pay taxes.

“It is painful to learn that the fuel and maize subsidies under the handshake regime were a conduit to brazenly, steal money for Raila’s campaigns. Intelligence further unfolds how the money was used afterwards to buy maize and hoard just to create artificial shortage,” he stated.

He added: “Odinga and his friends are responsible for pilfering public coffers to its dry bone. We demand that the handshake regime account for the monies they stole because they used Ukur Yatani to steal the money to fund Raila’s Presidential campaign and brutalize Kenyans who demanded accountability.

“The Kenyan people deserve leaders who are honest and accountable, not those who use their position to enrich themselves at the expense of the people.”

Malala said before Azimio plans for mass action on Thursday, March 9, they should come clean on where they took the money.

“Azimio led by Raila Odinga have planned protests tomorrow; but before they do so, they must come out clean on where they took the money. They must also show Kenyans where they hid the maize and when they are ready to release it. Kenyans are not giving in to the continuous theatrics (kipindi) that are meant to distract them from knowing the truth about the all-time loot that has messed the country.

“As a government, we want to applaud the boldness of Madam Nyakang’o to reveal the unimaginable dirt. We also want to call upon any state officer or office holder that was coaxed or intimidated to sign or illegally transact public monies to come out and confess.

“We demand that Raila and his friend take responsibility for their actions and repay the money they have stolen. We also ask Kenyans not to be hoodwinked and used by the selfish leaders to advance their parochial egoistic interests,” he stated.

UDA wants probe done

The party now wants investigation agencies to commence a probe immediately and arrest those who may have stolen public funds.

“We urge the anti-graft agencies to hastily commence investigations in light of the revelations by Controller of Budget and unearth all the corrupt leaders and their accomplices. We also demand an audit of all the capital projects undertaken by the rogue handshake regime in view of ascertaining whether public funds were expended on private businesses.

“The investigations should also not be limited to pilferage on public funds but the deliberate collapse of institutions, repatriation of looted money stashed on offshore accounts, and suspicious tax exemptions by compromised officers at KRA.

“To crush impunity, we demand that investigations extend to those that misused public facilities, ordered extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and wanton destruction of livelihoods through a weaponized criminal justice system,” he added.