Go ahead and sue, Raila tells Waiguru

Cord principal Raila Odinga at a past media briefing. The war of words between him and Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru escalated on September 15, 2015 after she threatened to sue him for linking her to the Sh791 million scandal at the National Youth Service (NYS). FILE PHOTO | JAMES EKWAM |  NATION MEDIA GROUP

In Summary

• Through her lawyers, Mohammed Muigai Advocates, the Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary, demanded an unconditional apology from Mr Odinga. 
• In her demand letter, Ms Waiguru protested that Mr Odinga’s utterances over her alleged involvement in the scandal were false and defamatory and portrayed her as a common thief, an embezzler of public funds, corrupt in the extreme, a flagrant law breaker and unfit to hold public office.

By PETER LEFTIE 

The war of words between Cord leader Raila Odinga and Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru escalated yesterday after she threatened to sue him for linking her to the Sh791 million scandal at the National Youth Service (NYS).

Through her lawyers, Mohammed Muigai Advocates, the Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary, demanded an unconditional apology from Mr Odinga. 

She further asked Mr Odinga not to repeat the claims and admit liability, failing which she would pursue damages.

But in a quick rejoinder, Mr Odinga said he would not apologise and challenged her to go to court. The former prime minister welcomed the lawsuit, saying it would give the CS an opportunity to explain her role in the scandal. 

“There will be no apology,” Mr Odinga said through his lawyer, Mr Paul Mwangi. “A lawsuit filed by Anne Waiguru is a great opportunity for her to take the stand and explain to Kenyans on oath the shenanigans that have been reported in respect of NYS and the Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) and her involvement or lack thereof in those issues”.

“Particularly, it is a great opportunity to explain to Kenyans how and why she is receiving preferential treatment from the President in matters of corruption unlike other cabinet secretaries. 

“This is what Raila refers to when he says people are not being treated equally in matters related to the fight against corruption,” Mr Mwangi said.

In her demand letter, Ms Waiguru protested that Mr Odinga’s utterances over her alleged involvement in the scandal were false and defamatory and portrayed her as a common thief, an embezzler of public funds, corrupt in the extreme, a flagrant law breaker and unfit to hold public office.

“On or around July 17, 2015, at a press conference held at your offices, you released what you referred to as a “List of Shame” and uttered the following and defamatory words in relation to our above named client,” the letter to Mr Odinga read in part.

Ms Waiguru said she was scandalised by the former Prime Minister when he said that: “We will not take the President seriously on the war on corruption until thieves are treated equally. The law must apply on scandals over IFMIS, NYS and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission in the same way as the roads and other ministries.”