UPDATE Monday, August 24: Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen branded ODM Party Leader Raila Odinga's calls for a thorough audit to verify the Covid-19 Corruption scandal as euphemism for dry cleaning.
"My friend Baba, For the first time you are stammering big on matters corruption. Can you ask your top party leaders and financiers implicated to take political responsibility. Your call for audit is euphemism for dry cleaning. This is your baby deal with it.
"It is so strange that there is no Jubilee leader in National Assembly or Senate who has come out to defend the KEMSA Covid-19 heist. Not even Tuju. Ironically ODM Party Leader and Sec-Gen are busy outdoing each other as to who can give the best defense to the looters," noted Murkomen.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga on Monday, August 24, released a statement on ODM's stand on the Covid-19 corruption scandal at KEMSA.
Raila released a statement two days after ODM through its Secretary-General Edwin Sifuna issued a statement on the same matter that sparked a public uproar.
The ODM party leader condemned the corruption scandal and asked the government to conduct a full audit into the the usage of all funds chanelled to the fight agaist the pandemic.
"The Orange Democratic Movement's record of commitment to fighting corruption and safeguarding public resources is well documented. ODM never did and never will tolerate corruption in all its manifestations, no matter who is involved.
"The position of the party in the current allegations of corruption in Covid-19 related resources is that the government needs to conduct a thorough and urgent audit of all the funds that have been put at the disposal of various state agencies, departments and ministries to fight the pandemic with a view to establishing the facts on usage of such resources," read his statement in part.
Raila went on to detail the party's track record in fighting corruption and highlighted how during the Grand Coalition government, ODM pushed fot an audit of the sale of Grand Regency Hotel.
He also recalled how the party was successful in pushing for the systematic audit of Anglo Leasing Scandal by Kroll and Associates that led to culprits being brought to book.
The Maize Scandal and Nairobi Cemetery scam were cited by Raila on how the audit approach was successful in getting to the bottom of corruption scandals.
Raila argued that the condemnation of the Covid-19 corruption scandal could have been a plan to cover up the graft with a number of leaders including Deputy President William Ruto coming out strongly to castigate the matter.
"As matters stand now, none of the people taking to the podium or social media to condemn theft of funds has any evidence. The so-called condemnations of theft could well be part of a cover-up.
"Our experience in this country is that the best way to bungle and cover up corruption investigations is to have many different voices each with its own version of truth. We saw that noise with regard to Arror and Kimwarer dams and the NYS scams, among others," stated Raila.
The former Lang'ata MP concluded by saying ODM would not defend anyone, including members or relatives and friends of its officials, found to have benefitted from funds and other resources meant for fighting the Covid-19 pandemic.
