MP John Waluke Risks Losing Seat Four Weeks After Inauguration

Sirisia MP John Waluke appears in a court in Nairobi.
Sirisia MP John Waluke appears in a court in Nairobi.
Citizen Digital

Sirisia Member of Parliament John Waluke now risks losing his seat four weeks after being sworn into office. The fate of the four-time legislator will be known on October 6 when the High Court delivers its verdict.

High Court Justice, Esther Maina set the date after the parties in the case  made their final submissions and filed the appeals. The MP had appealed his conviction for a 52-year jail sentence for corruption.

Waluke had been convicted alongside business partner Grace Wakhungu for fraudulently receiving Ksh300 million from the National cereals and Produce Board in 2014.

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Grace Wakhungu (left) and Sirisia MP John Waluke (right) in court in June 2020
File

In her verdict, Chief Magistrate Elizabeth Juma had ruled that both Waluke and Wakhungu pay a fine of over Sh 1 Billion or in default serve the lengthy custodial sentence.

Juma had directed Waluke to pay a Ksh726 million personal fine. He was to also shoulder Sh313 million, which is half the amount the court fined his company Erad Supplies & General Contractors Ltd.

Waluke and Wakhungu were the two company directors after the third director Jacob Juma was murdered in 2016.

In the sentence that badly indicted Waluke’s moral standing, the magistrate found that the two suspects had taken advantage of millions of hungry Kenyans to mint money, and allowed NCPB to also go after the duo’s assents to recover the lost money.

“The offences are serious and the accused persons took advantage out of a dire situation where Kenyans were faced with hunger and maize was required to save Kenyans from starvation. It, therefore, calls for a deterrence sentence,” she said.

Waluke spent some time at Industrial Area prison until the High Court granted his release on bond pending the conclusion of his appeal.

However, the window of that freedom is fast closing in a week’s time, as the High Court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on October 6.

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Grace Wakhungu (in red) with Sirisia MP John Waluke in court in June 2020
File

Should the Court uphold his conviction Waluke’s parliamentary seat could fall vacant.

Incidentally, Waluke’s conviction has heavily relied on a report of the Public Accounts Committee of the 11th Parliament that indicted his company for the scam involving payment for delivery of maize that never was.

Scramble for PSC

Ironically the four-time legislator is seeking his Jubilee Party’s nomination to serve in the Parliamentary Service Commission.

The PSC Commissioner's job involves managing the yearly billions allocated by the National Treasury to Parliament.

High level lobbying is in top gear within the Jubilee party over who will be fronted to the powerful Commission after three MPs expressed interest.

Other than Waluke, Adan Keynan (Eldas) and Kamukunji’s Yusuf Hassan are eyeing the slot.  The race has become hotly contested as MP Waluke’s judgement is expected to be ruled next week.

His interests in the seat has put in a fix the Jubilee Party and Parliament over the likely implications on his tenure as PSC Commissioner should the Court fully or partially uphold his sentence.

Sirisai MP John Waluke, and Grace Wakhungu in court on Thursday, June 25.
Sirisia MP John Waluke, and Grace Wakhungu in court on Thursday, June 25.
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