A showdown is looming in the National Assembly after Deputy Leader of Minority Jakoyo Midiwo claimed that former Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru bought 47 vehicles for all Women Representatives.
The Gem Member of Parliament (MP) alleged that Waigiru used the Affirmative Action and Social Empowerment Fund under the Ministry of Devolution to award the County MPs with state-of-the-art guzzlers in unclear circumstances.
Midiwo vowed that he would introduce an adjournment motion next week so that the House would discuss how women legislators, were granted the vehicles with Government of Kenya (GK) registration numbers.
“Anne Waiguru took public funds and bought MPs vehicles. I intend to raise a substantive motion to discuss this next week,” said Mr Midiwo.
In a report by Business Daily, the top of the range Chevrolet vehicles were given to the women representatives earlier this year raising questions among fellow lawmakers.
According to the report, the Affirmative Action Fund received Sh2 Billion, part of which was used to purchase the vehicles at a time when the Senate was denied Sh1 Billion to exercise oversight on county projects.
The Gem lawmaker protested over the female MPs having two vehicles bought using taxpayers' money, given that all lawmakers are given a car grant of Sh7 Million by the government.
“All these GKs in our parking lots is surprising. I have never boarded my Constituency Development Fund (CDF) GK registered vehicle. This is abuse of office,” Midiwo complained.
However, Murang'a Women Representative Sabina Chege explained the source of the vehicles, saying that the Affirmative Action Fund was properly created and accommodated in the budget to help the female legislators in providing services to their constituents.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Ms Chege defended Ms Waiguru stating that their male colleagues were jealous of the work their female counterparts were doing for Kenyans.
"Waiguru never bought vehicles for anyone. The vehicles were bought under Affirmative Action and not by Waiguru and they are branded. The same way MPs have CDF vehicles is the same way we have ours as has been the practice. When these men see us do something positive, they fear because we are managing a bigger constituency than them," she explained.
Midiwo's claims are expected to stir a new storm in the political arena, with emotions already high following Waiguru's affidavit that linked senior leaders in the Jubilee administration with the loss of Sh791 Million at the National Youth Service (NYS).
