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Hassan, Oswago and Chirchir should have their day in the dock, says Raila Odinga
Clockwise from top left: Energy Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir, chicken at a fast-food kiosk, Trevy James Oyombra, James Oswago and IEBC chairman Issack Hassan who are officials accused of involvement in the “chicken” scandal. PHOTOS | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP.
What you need to know:
- Mr Odinga's call came a day after a London court jailed two directors of Smith and Ouzman, Nicholas Charles Smith and Christopher John Smith, after they were found guilty of bribing Kenyan officials to secure contracts.
Kenya, Mr Odinga said, will be perceived to be condoning corruption if the concerned state agencies ignore the matter.
He said processing the case would be easier now, and urged the Ethics and Anti–Corruption Commission to request for investigations files from the UK's Serious Fraud Office.
He said those mentioned in the scandal should be forced to vacate office to create room for reforms.
Cord leader Raila Odinga on Friday reiterated his call for the prosecution of Kenyan election officials accused of receiving bribes from directors of a British printing firm.
His call came a day after a London court jailed two directors of Smith and Ouzman, Nicholas Charles Smith and Christopher John Smith, after they were found guilty of giving bribes to secure contracts.
Kenya, Mr Odinga said, will be perceived to be condoning corruption if the concerned state agencies ignore the matter.
He said processing the case would be easier now, and urged the Ethics and Anti–Corruption Commission to request for investigations files from the UK's Serious Fraud Office.
CLEAR CHANCE
“We have a clear chance to send clear signals about our distaste for impunity and corruption. By virtue of the positions they held and continue to hold, IEBC chairman Issack Hassan, Energy Cabinet Secretary Davies Chirchir and former IEBC Chief Executive James Oswago must immediately be taken in for prosecution,” said Mr Odinga in a statement dispatched to newsrooms.
He repeated the same at the funeral of Kabete MP George Muchai who was laid to rest in Kasarani, Nairobi, on Friday.
“In the crime of corruption, the giver and the taker are both guilty. The only victim is the people.," he said.
But Mr Hassan and Oswago have both denied involvement in the infamous Chicken scandal, where kickbacks were received in exchange for contracts besides inflating prices.
On Thursday, a UK court jailed the Smiths after they were found guilty of bribing officials of IIEC, the predecessor of IEBC, to win the ballot paper printing tender for the 2010 constitutional referendum.
CALL SFO FILES
“In the United Kingdom, managers of Smith & Ouzman have been jailed for bribing officials of the Interim Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission and the Kenya National Examinations Council for printing contracts. If the printers in England have been jailed, then their accomplices in Kenya also belong to jail,” said Mr Odinga.
He urged Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko to call the SFO files for the prosecution of all those mentioned.
Mr Odinga wants all the officials implicated in the scandal , including Joseph Dena, Ken Nyaundi, Kenneth Karani and Hamida Ali Kibwana, Paul Wasanga and Smith & Ouzman’s local agent Trevy James Oyombra, punished if found guilty.
“Investigations have been ably done in London. People have been convicted. We must not waste tax-payers money on any further investigations," the Cord leader said.
He said those mentioned in the scandal should be forced to vacate office to create room for reforms.
