Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga broke his silence on the arrest and arraignment of Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o.
In a statement on Tuesday, December 5, Raila said Nyakango’s arrest has long been expected by the opposition and the citizens as well.
“The arrest of Ms Nyakang’o by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) did not come as a surprise to us in Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition Party. We believe many Kenyans too saw it coming,” said Raila.
Further, the opposition leader claimed the arrest was always coming, in light of Nyakango’s determination to act professionally and with integrity in a regime infested by crooks and unprofessional conduct.
“It was only a matter of when, not if Ms Nyakang’o was going to be sent packing on frivolous and trumped-up charges to create room for a user-friendly holder of the office, who will support and sanitize the looting currently underway,” he said.
Additionally, Raila encouraged Nyakang’o to remain strong in defense of integrity, professionalism and the dictates of good governance.
“Her tribulations are thus politically motivated witch hunt, which the EACC will find difficult to convince Kenyans about, at a time Kenyans are wreathing under full blown corruption,” stated Raila.
Besides, he explained that Azimio Coalition will stand with Nyakang’o and offer her with any form of help in the war against corruption in Kenya.
“This struggle will be nasty and long, but it is one Kenyans cannot afford to lose. We will lead that struggle from the front,” said Raila.
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Margaret Nyakang’o Arrest
Nyakang’o was arrested and arraigned while in Mombasa on Tuesday, December 5.
In a letter written to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), the Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) recommended that the individuals be charged with four charges.
“We therefore direct that all the aforementioned suspects be charged jointly with the following: Conspiracy to defraud contrary to section 317 of the Penal Code, operating a Sacco without a License Contrary to Section 24 as read with Section 66 of the Sacco societies Act 2008.
“Forgery c/s 345 as read with section 349 of the Penal Code and uttering a false document c/s 353 of the penal code,” the letter read in part.
However, she was released at around 1:00 pm on Tuesday, December 5.
Also Read: Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakango Arrested
Complaints
The arrest was made in connection to a complaint made against her and 10 others in 2016 before Nyakang’o ascended to her position in June 2020.
In addition, the office of the DPP approved the charges against the 10 in the letter to the DCI on November 30.
In the letter, DPP stated that there was sufficient evidence to charge the suspect on all four charges.
Notably, Nyakang’o has been vocal about public expenditure. In November 2023, she appeared before the National Dialogue Committee and raised concerns about the waste of public funds.
As such, she complained about overbudgeting in salaries of state officials giving an example of her own salary budget that was three times higher than it ought to be.
“I would ask the committee to talk to the national Treasury on a very serious note. The exaggeration is in the national treasury. I found out that my salary was budgeted at three times what I am paid, and it was like that for all the state officers,” Nyakang’o stated then.