Return cars, former PM told in new row

By JEREMIAH KIPLANG’AT jkiplangat@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted  Thursday, July 25  2013 at  20:54

 

 

In Summary

• The spokesman was, however, dismissed last evening by Cord deputy minority leader Jakoyo Midiwo, who said two former presidents who had the same status as the former PM, had not returned anything to the government.

The government Thursday accused former Prime Minister Raila Odinga of failing to return six government vehicles in his possession almost four months after leaving office.

Through the spokesman Muthui Kariuki, the government also accused the former premier of putting a siren on one of the cars and using it to manoeuvre through traffic in the city.

“He is forever mourning that the government is not giving him recognition, yet he has refused to return six government vehicles and has gone on and bought an illegal siren and is forever driving all over town using the wrong lanes,” the spokesman said yesterday.

The spokesman was, however, dismissed last evening by Cord deputy minority leader Jakoyo Midiwo, who said two former presidents who had the same status as the former PM, had not returned anything to the government.

“How many vehicles have former presidents Kibaki and Moi returned? They were thinking of allocating Sh700 million for Mr Kibaki’s retiring house, yet they are asking the PM to return vehicles?” Mr Midiwo said, even as Mr Kariuki blamed Mr Odinga for the heckling during the funeral service on Tuesday for 11 students and four teachers who perished in a road accident two weeks ago.

“It is common knowledge that Raila’s sidekicks spent three days in Kisii County plotting how they would disrupt the funeral service,” Mr Kariuki said, adding that the money paid the hecklers was drawn from the “Kisii county coffers.”

Trip to the US

Meanwhile, Mr Odinga last night led 10 governors allied to Cord on a trip to the US amid reports the Kenyan embassy in Washington was not aware of the event.

A statement from the Raila Odinga Secretariat said the governors will meet and make presentations to potential American investors at a forum in Dallas.

But a statement attributed to Kenya’s acting ambassador to the US, Ms Jean Njeri Kamau, said the mission was unaware of the forum.

“We therefore have no comment,” Ms Kamau said.