Allies of President Kenyatta have been put on the spot over the habit of invoking his name when caught up in procurement scandals.
The Daily Nation reported on Thursday, October 3, that statehouse comptroller Kinuthia Mbugwa told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that invoking the name of the President by the government officials was immoral and those involved should face the law.
This was reportedly after Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro sought to understand why many senior government officials and accounting officers who appear before the PAC linked the presidency whenever they tendered for projects and supplies irregularly.
He cited the case of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) World Under-18 Youth Championship scandal, where Ksh1.7 billion was reported lost due to the flouting of procurement laws.
The officials questioned had claimed that they had resorted to direct tendering with the President's blessings since there wasn't enough time to follow the tendering process.
Mbugwa expressed his regret over the use of the president's name to wield influence and deflect the course of justice and the rule of law.
"We are all accountable as far as the usage of public resources is concerned. I am at State House but I do not invoke the president's name when faced with issues. I cannot come here and say I was directed to do this or that," he told the committee.
He also clarified that the president indeed had no role to play in procurement, and those who purported to be representing him were rogue officials.
"All accounting officers in government have always been directed not to honor any call claiming to emanate from the statehouse," he was quoted.
This is the second time in the recent past that the president has come out to disentangle himself with officials who have been using their proximity to the statehouse for their own selfish gains.
On August 26, Uhuru warned his allies of impending arrests over their involvement in corruption at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
He told those who were on the radar of the Director of Criminal Investigation (DCI), George Kinoti, and Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Noordin Haji, not to call him anymore for help as he had cut off links with the graft suspects, by blocking their calls.
While cautioning the targeted individuals against calling him for help, Uhuru stated "Ni noma, hizo simu zilizimwa zamani (It's getting hotter now, those phones were switched off a long time ago)," he warned.
