I have never seen Josephine Kabura, says former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru

Former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru stresses a point at Parliament Buildings where she was grilled for several hours by Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) on issues involving corruption allegations at the NYS 03/11-16 [PHOTO: MOSES OMUSULA/Standard]

Former Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru has said she has never had any relation with Josephine Kabura, while blaming powerful people for the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal, in which the country lost millions of shillings.

Waiguru, who appeared before the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee (PAC) for grilling shifted blame to an intricate web of personalities, comprising, among others former Planning Principal Secretary Peter Mang'iti and businesswoman Josephine Kabura whom she termed 'a  puppet' for unnamed powerful people.

Waiguru denied ever meeting Kabura who has publicity admitted to knowing the former Devolution CS.

"Clearly Kabura is a puppet, she picked on me for the simple reason that she must have been told by the puppeteer to pick on me with a view to protect the puppeteer,” Waiguru said.

"The network is intricate, the manner in which every witness who has come before this committee has been at pains to link me to their actions is telling. They have not given and concrete evidence in the form of a signed letter, phone records or a text message. They are clearly working under very powerful instructors or puppeteers, and I hope that this committee finds out who they are," she added.

"The effort to link me with her despite all the glaring evidence is an inconvenient truth. The committee considered on Tuesday that Kabura was covering up for somebody. That person cannot be me.”

Among those she named in the network was her former Principal Secretary Peter Mangiti, businesswoman Josephine Kabura, businessman Ben Gethi, Farouk Kibet.

Others are Margaret Mukhebi, Dickson Okoth Gisiora, and Ochieng Jerome, the head of IFMIS at the ministry.

Waiguru has been named by various witnesses as the key mastermind of the scandal including claims by her former PS Mangiti that she issued illegal instructions, including the hiring of Adan Halakhe to the non-existent position of Deputy Director General of the NYS.

Harakhe was subsequently designated as one of the people with authority to incur expenditure at the ministry.

Waiguru was taken to task over speculation that she was protecting Harakhe from responsibility in the loss of the money.