Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has denied claims that taxpayer money was used to finance his activities as the African Union’s High Representative for Infrastructure Development.
Mr Odinga yesterday said all his expenses during his tenure were borne directly by the African Union, via the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (Nepad), and partly by himself.
In a letter, he further rejected claims by National Assembly Majority leader Kimani Ichung’wa that he had an office in Nairobi, courtesy of his AU role, that was being fully financed by taxpayers to the tune of Sh600 million annually.
“Throughout his tenure in the aforesaid capacity, our client was hosted at the Raila Odinga Secretariat—the premises he has used since 2012. There are no known premises in the Republic of Kenya established for the AU High Representative for Infrastructure Development in Africa,” said Mr Odinga’s legal team.
The AU Commission directed the Sunday Nation to Mr Odinga’s office to share details of his tenure while he was in office. “H.E Odinga was High representative for the past four years, and if you want to know about his tenure now that it has ended, kindly approach his office if they wish to share those details,” Ms Ebba Kalondo, the spokesperson of the commission’s chair Moussa Faki, told the Sunday Nation .
National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed said that at no point have they passed a budget in Parliament with allocations to the African Union. “Any claim made must be followed by facts and figures. We have had budgets in the last 10 years and I have never seen the allocation Mr Ichungwa is talking about. Maybe he is confusing money going to his Kikuyu constituency for AU,” he said.
Nominated MP and ODM chairman John Mbadi also came to the defence of Mr Odinga, terming Mr Ichung’wa’s remarks reckless and not grounded in facts.
Mr Mbadi, who served in the Budget and Appropriation Committee when Mr Ichungwa was the chairman of the powerful panel, said at no time did they appropriate any money to Mr Odinga’s AU office. “Someone who has been the chairman of Budget and now Majority leader should know this better and should not be careless in his remarks,” the lawmaker said.
The former Minority leader said Mr Ichungwa is confusing the perks that Mr Odinga enjoys courtesy of having served as the former Prime Minister with his role at the AU.
“Raila did not have any AU office in Nairobi, he has his private office in Capitol Hill which should be financed by taxpayers courtesy of the law. Either Ichungwa is confused or he does not know what he is saying,” Mr Mbadi told the Sunday Nation .
“Budgets line presented and are clearly appropriated and no time did I see any allocation to the special envoy to AU,” he added.
He clarified that the amount paid to AU by Kenya as a subscription is paid by all other countries who are members of the outfit whether you have a special envoy or not.
“Someone who has been the chairman of budget and now majority leader should know this one better and should not be careless in his remarks and bring honour to that office,”
“Raila’s office as the former Prime Minister needs to be financed because that is the law but it has been a problem and even if it’s being financed, I doubt it is to the tune of Sh600 million as Mr Ichungwa puts it,” Mr Mbadi said.
Under the Presidential Retirement Benefits Act No. 11 of 2003 for retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka and ex-Prime Minister Raila Odinga, the officers are entitled to fuel, travel expenses, a fully furnished office, entertainment allowances, and wages for his employees.
