Wycliffe Oparanya: No one has asked me for a statement on graft case

Cooperatives, MSMEs Development CS nominee Wycliffe Oparanya appears before a vetting committee at County Hall, Nairobi. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Wycliffe Oparanya, the nominee for Cooperatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary, addressed allegations of his involvement in a Sh1.3 billion corruption case during his vetting on Sunday, August 4.

Oparanya stated that neither the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) nor the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) had contacted him to provide a statement regarding these allegations from his 10-year tenure as Kakamega governor.

“The facts are not true; nobody has come to me to request a statement. I have never been given a chance to tell my story,” Oparanya told the vetting committee.

He recounted events from August 2023, explaining that he received calls about his participation in the Azimio protests. He clarified that he has no business dealings with Azimio chief Raila Odinga, saying that his only connection to Odinga is through the ODM Party.

“In August 2023, I was called and told that because I was in the demos, EACC was looking for me. I have served diligently for 10 years as governor and five years as minister,” he said.

He described how individuals, some in police uniform and others in civilian clothes, came to his house for a search, with only one person identifying themselves.

Oparanya insisted that he was unaware of any accusations against him.

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula confirmed that there are no criminal proceedings against Oparanya, citing a letter from the ODPP in response to an inquiry by the Committee on Appointments.

Speaker Moses Wetangula confirms that there are no criminal proceedings ongoing against CS nominee Wycliffe Oparanya; refers to a letter written by the Office of Director Of Public Prosecutions, in response to an inquiry by the Committee on Appointments pic.twitter.com/N2uGG7C1X0 — KTN News (@KTNNewsKE) August 4, 2024

This comes amid a clash between the EACC and the vetting committee after the anti-graft agency opposed Oparanya’s nomination to the Cabinet, noting he had a case to answer.

“EACC clarifies that in its role in the integrity vetting of candidates for public office under the current law, the Commission cannot clear or bar anyone from holding any office in the land. What the Commission does is to provide facts on record regarding the integrity status of each candidate as of the material date, without passing any judgment,” the EACC stated.

In the ongoing case, EACC is attempting to recover Sh1,387,310,025 from Oparanya and other Kakamega county officials, funds allegedly acquired through the proceeds of crime.

During his appearance for vetting, Oparanya disclosed that he is worth Sh600 million, attributing his wealth to the value of buildings and houses.