A section of MPs has vowed to take action against Kenya Airways officials following the auditor general's report that the company has lost billions of shillings.
Speaking at Nkarini Secondary School in Tharaka Constituency yesterday during a funds drive in aid of a science laboratory project, National Assembly Majority Leader Aden Duale said Parliament will form a select committee to investigate the scandal.
Duale said Kenya Airways officials involved in stealing the company’s money will be prosecuted, adding that what is happening at KQ is a serious crime. “If what is happening to KQ was happening in the US or Europe today, even the minister concerned would resign. Where are all our profits going? The men and women running KQ must be investigated,” he said.
Mr Duale said what is being experienced at the airline happened to the Kenya Meat Commission and Mumias Sugar Company, which at the end brought the companies to their knees. The Leader of Majority, however accused the auditor general of ruining the image of his office, which he said should be ran independently. “In the past, many reports have been given by the auditor general, but after investigations no funds are found to be lost,” he said.
He noted that the auditor general would be penalised if fraud allegations are not proved by the Public Accounts Committee.
Chuka/Igambang’ombe MP Muthomi Njuki said the auditor general alleged that Sh300 billion were lost last year, but upon investigations by the Public Accounts Committee, no loss was discovered. Njuki said the auditor general is playing politics to rubbish the Jubilee Government.
Duale said if the counties named to have squandered the devolved funds are investigated by the Senate Public Accounts Committee led by Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale are found clean, his office will be on the spot. Tharaka MP Alex Mwiru said the auditor general’s independent operation has been lost to politics and if funds are reportedly missing, they should be proven through investigations. “You have no right to play politics when in such an independent office; he has no right to term leaders corrupt yet other probes proved otherwise,” Mwiru said.
Other leaders who echoed similar sentiments were Mandera East MP Farah Maalim and Tharaka Nithi County MP Beatrice Nkatha. On Thursday, Kenya Airways announced a loss of Sh25.7 billion after tax for 12 months ending March.
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