Retired President Kibaki Accused of Irregularly Awarding Scholarships to His Grandchildren to Study Abroad
The National Assembly Public Accounts Committee is conducting an inquiry on why retired President Mwai Kibaki used his power to award expensive scholarships to his grandchildren to study abroad.
On Monday, the House committee asked former Head of Public Service Francis Muthaura to explain circumstances leading to the award of the scholarships to the former President's kin.
Appearing before the team, Muthaura defended Kibaki who awarded the scholarships to two of his grandchildren studying at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia.
Muthaura explained that Kibaki was trying to assist his nephew, Philip Githinji pay college fees after he lost his job with Oil Libya. Githinji’s children, Ian Nderitu and Sandra Njeri were pursuing Engineering and Architecture degrees at the Australian institution.
“The President wrote to me on this matter and he later varied his earlier communication verbally to have the second student included. I knew Githinji as a nephew to the former President,” Muthaura told the Opiyo Wandayi-led committee.
Muthaura further explained that the amount of money paid was high because the two went on to take second degrees right after completing the first one.
“The students did their first degree and proceeded for the second degree. That is why the amount is a bit high.”
However, the House committee questioned why the former President used taxpayers cash to help his struggling relatives.
“We assist our extended family through our own pockets but not from public coffers,” Rarieda Member of Parliament Otiende Amollo stated.
Wandayi asked, “Don’t you think that a case where a state officer uses his or her power in leadership to benefit their relatives is an abuse of office?”
Former Higher Education Principal Secretary Crispus Kiamba approved the scholarships after receiving a letter from Kibaki’s private secretary Nick Wanjohi.
“That was presidential discretion to award scholarships. The president, as the Chief Executive of the country, has a lot of discretion on budget,” Muthaura added.
Comments
Corruption starts from the…
Permalink
Corruption starts from the top. He should pay it back. That money is enough to pay for tens of our children to study in local universities. While the rest of us study with student loans, the children of the top brass study on our tax money. What a shame Mwai Kibaki. Pay it back.
Kibaki was a very Educated…
Permalink
In reply to Corruption starts from the… by Joe Kamande (not verified)
Kibaki was a very Educated FOOL (who while president he Publicly told his Corrupt mafia to "why not be wise in your Corruption"). It was shocking to hear these words coming from Amilio's mouth.
@Guest1- I would echo the…
Permalink
In reply to Kibaki was a very Educated… by Guest1 (not verified)
@Guest1- I would echo the same words he said, "why not be wise in your Corruption". Every country has its own share of corruption including the West but they don't go selling their own to the Chinese for cheap. The leaders don't run their countries into debt to a point Mombasa port which is the collateral hangs in balance. We miss payments and it is gone! I think Kibaki was being very truthful..they are thieves but please don't borrow to steal. It's like watching a drug addict sell everything in their house including doors, windows and roof etc.
Yes. Corruption in Kenya is…
Permalink
In reply to @Guest1- I would echo the… by Mugikuyu (not verified)
Yes. Corruption in Kenya is SUICIDAL. And so my Prayer is for it to come Haunt the Thieves like it Haunted Biwott and now Girongo; and later Ruto.
This is stealing.Taking what…
Permalink
This is stealing.Taking what does not belong to you.
These scholarship should be awarded based on Merit.
It is families like this Kibaki family that is dragging Kenya backwards with such behaviors.
Stop stealing from children who have put in the work and qualify for those scholarships.
It is stealing.My question…
Permalink
In reply to This is stealing.Taking what… by Diana (not verified)
It is stealing.My question is why should it take this long to discover the theft?Should I assume that a lot of people were sleeping on the job...
With checks and balances in place such thievery should be caught right away.Or were participants also benefiting in other ways
What ‘ checks and balances’…
Permalink
In reply to It is stealing.My question… by Maxiley (not verified)
What ‘ checks and balances’ are in place in Kenya?
@Ufisadi, in any accounting…
Permalink
In reply to What ‘ checks and balances’… by Ufisadi (not verified)
@Ufisadi, in any accounting procedures setup in place,there are checks and balances.If they are not followed, that's another issue...
Shame on you Kibaki. How…
Permalink
Shame on you Kibaki. How much money is enough for you?
Shame! Shame! Shame on these…
Permalink
Shame! Shame! Shame on these corrupt politicians. He had so much money stolen and otherwise to help his family. I guess once you get a government job you have the green light to steal as much as possible. Why couldn't he pay their education bill using his own money. Another reason to audit all these crooks in the government no matter where they are. He should pay all the money awarded back to the taxpayers. The fleecing of Kenyan continues. Tomorrow it will be another politician. Stay tuned.
Watcha gonna do bout it?…
Permalink
Watcha gonna do bout it? None’
Even Gadaffi used to say…
Permalink
In reply to Watcha gonna do bout it?… by Mucene (not verified)
Even Gadaffi used to say such things.
Mta do??
Mta do?
Then he got bombed to kingdom come.
If they want to get that money from Kibaki, they can do it.
It’s 2018.
"Then he got bombed to…
Permalink
In reply to Even Gadaffi used to say… by Diana (not verified)
"Then he got bombed to kingdom come". Wow! Lol!!!
Rais mstaafu wa nchi ya…
Permalink
Rais mstaafu wa nchi ya Uruguay Ndugu Jose Mujica alitoa 90% ya mshahara wake kuwasaidia wasiojiweza.
Alilipwa $ 12,500 kwa mwezi lakini, alichukua dola $1,250 tu! kwa matumizi yake. Aliendesha motokaa ya aina ya Volks Wagen Beetle ya 1987.
Viongozi wetu wa Kenya wakijitolea kuishi maisha ya Ndugu Mujica, Kenya haitahitaji kukopakopa hela/pesa tena kutoka nchi za kigeni!
Ndugu Mujica alifungwa jela kwa muda wa miaka 13 kabla hajaachiliwa na kugombea urais wa nchi ya Uruguay. Alikuwa rais kutoka 2010 mpaka 2015.
This is madness. How cheap…
Permalink
This is madness. How cheap are these wealthy people? He is super wealthy and still needs to have the govt pay for his family? When there are so many people who would have benefited from that money, he had it given to him family when he could easily have paid it himself. Selfish selfish selfish.
Ithink people like kibaki…
Permalink
Ithink people like kibaki took power as atool to do anything you want,including use of public funds for personal gain.Discreational power does not extend to misuse of public funds.Let him pay back the money plus interest. Who knows how far this discreational power was abused.He should be ashamed.We should also demand public apology from him.
https://www.youtube.com…
Permalink
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aUkzTgvPBeM
We are talking about Kibaki…
Permalink
We are talking about Kibaki's we are turning our heads away from what is currently happening in the country right now. Hehehehehehe...... Kenyans
Those who had the power to vote out goons drowning and killing our country are just as guilty, they are just as evil. And they bear the blood on their hands and in their conscience. The blood of every Kenyan who has succumbed due to bad leadership in our country. Blood that can't be eradicated or washed out easily!
We needed these news earlier…
Permalink
We needed these news earlier not 7 years after Kibaki's visionary leadership, he remains a star in Kenyan development & leadership...we all have 99% positive things to talk about him
Add new comment