LSK wants two senior civil servants probed for ‘funding’ Uhuru
By RUSHDIE OUDIA @rushdieo3 roudia@ke.nationmedia.comThe Law Society of Kenya (LSK) President Mr Isaac Okero has petitioned the Public Service Commission to investigate two senior government officials for alleged abuse of office.
Mr Okero said the duo’s action to attend a fundraiser for President Uhuru Kenyatta at a past dinner amounted to misconduct and a breach of constitutional values and principles of public service.
Last Friday, at least Sh1 billion was said to have been collected in less than two hours in an exclusive dinner attended by President Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto.
LEADERSHIP AND INTEGRITY LAW
The LSK boss wants Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner General John Njiriani and the Principal Secretary in the ministry of energy Joseph Njoroge to be probed to establish whether they have abused office or acted in violation of leadership and integrity law.
The two public servants are part of the technical committee with the sole agenda of delivering President Kenyatta’s re-election.
The committee operates under the umbrella of the Friends of Jubilee Foundation.
The invite only fundraiser meant to bolster Mr Kenyatta’s re-election campaign kitty brought together businesspersons and top government officials at the Safari Park Hotel and Casino in Nairobi.
“This is a violation of statutory requirements for political neutrality imposed on state and public officers of their rank and position,” said Mr Okero.
In a statement sent to newsrooms, the LSK boss said given that the events unfolded during the campaign period of 2017 less than 60 days to the elections and concerns senior public officers who have not denied the reports made in the media, action needed to be taken against them.
PUBLIC CONFIDENCE
“Since the two individuals have not denied reports of them attending the fundraiser, then it is paramount importance for the purposes of preventing further erosion of public confidence in the institutions of their respective offices that they be investigated,” said Mr Okero.
The investigations should establish whether they have flagrantly violated sections of the public officer Ethics Act, Public Service Commission Act and Leadership and Integrity Act.
The LSK President copied the letter to EACC Chairman Bishop Eliud Wabukhala and IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati.
Also copied were Secretary to the cabinet and Head of civil service Mr Joseph Kinyua and Director of Public Prosecution Mr Keriako Tobiko.
President Kenyatta on that evening asked campaign donors not to hedge their bets by funding him and his political rivals ahead of this year’s elections.
Many questions have also been raised on the move by cabinet secretaries and county executives campaigning for their bosses.
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