Ukur Yatani Wants Arch-Rival Investigated, Arrested

Treasury CS Ukur Yatani addresses the parliamnet on October 2019
Treasury CS Ukur Yatani addresses the parliament on October 2019
File

Treasury CS Ukur Yatani reportedly wants his political arch-rival, Marsabit Governor Mohamud Ali, investigated and arrested over graft charges.

Yatani wrote to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the National Intelligence Service (NIS) asking the agency to speed up investigations and arraign Ali in court. 

The letter was directly sent to EACC, CEO Twalib Mbarak and NIS Director-General, Philip Kameru in early July 2021. 

“In view of the above developments, I urge your office to quickly investigate all bank accounts held by the governor and his family members,” Yatani urged. 

Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) CEO Twalib Mbarak, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) chief George Kinoti addressing a press conference in Nairobi on Thursday, March 5
From left: Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) CEO Twalib Mbarak, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) chief George Kinoti addressing a press conference in Nairobi on Thursday, March 5, 2020
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke

Yatani, in the confidential letter, wants EACC to focus on Ksh1.5 million advertisement bills, road funds and other graft cases alleged to have been orchestrated in Marsabit. 

"As CS, my duty is to highlight the unanswered graft questions raised against the governor," Yatani wrote according to Nation.  

The two have been embroiled in a war of words several times, the latest being in February 2021 when Ali dragged Yatani into Marsabit County conflicts. The governor claimed that the CS was intentionally delaying development funds set aside for the county government. 

“The governor is trying to pin his failures on me. The Treasury does not allocate projects but save for those listed as top priorities,” Yatani argued. 

Yatani lost the 2017 Gubernatorial race to Jubilee's Ali. Reports alleged that Yatani is seeking to contest the post in 2022 after serving as the county’s first governor between 2013 and 2017.

In September 2020, EACC listed the governor among its leaders facing graft charges. The agency stated that it was investigating the procurement of relief food that was reportedly bought at inflated prices in 2019. 

EACC detectives raided county offices seeking procurement and other financial documents that would aid in the case. 

Finance officials were interrogated, but the cases were reported to have stalled. 

Marsabit Governor Mohamud Ali
Marsabit Governor Mohamud Ali
File
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