Former Treasury Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ukur Yatani on Wednesday, March 8, responded to claims made by Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o, revealing that he partially authorised the request.
In a four-page document seen by Kenyans.co.ke, the former CS also implicated the office of the Deputy President, Rigathi Gachagua claiming that he got a request of Ksh1.5 billion.
"Just to mention, immediately after the 2022 election, a request on behalf of the current DP was presented to my office under the same article for approval and disbursement of Ksh1.59 billion for his office use.
"It included Ksh300 million for cars and Ksh330 million for hospitality and a request that I did not grant in full but considered an amount of Ksh500 million due to the financial constraints we had at that time," the statement read in part.
While Yatani admitted that he requested the release of the funds, he refuted allegations by Nyakang'o that he put her under duress. He further faulted her for insinuating that he facilitated the theft of public funds.
"This depiction is libellous and defamatory to my character and professional service to the public in many capacities. I have instructed my lawyers to study her utterances and advice on a lawsuit against her person," the letter read in part.
The former CS admitted to giving the green light for the release of the funds but claimed that it was part of a Supplementary Budget which had been approved by the Parliament.
"What makes this approval of Ksh15 billion ‘sneaky’ and that of the Ksh127.5 billion before parliament and mostly under the current government legitimate? Yet they both used the same constitutional path," he posed.
The former Treasury boss disclosed that the release of the funds needed to be expedited because it was meant to cushion Kenyans during a period of unprecedented high food, and fuel prices.
In addition, he claimed that part of the money was used for the development of a facility commissioned by President William Ruto.
"The modern referral hospital facility for Kenya’s Defence Forces was recently opened by President Ruto. If indeed the said Ksh15 billion was stolen, how did the President commission this hospital?" Yatani questioned.
He questioned Nyakang'o's motive in implicating him whether for her personal gains or for those who were pushing her to mud-sling President Uhuru Kenyatta's government.
"Has the Controller of Budgets ‘weaponized’ her office to get back at those seen as a stumbling block to her? Is she doing politics through calculated malice and selective application of the constitutional procedure articulated in Article 223 of the constitution?" the statement read in part.
The former CS lashed out at the CoB for releasing half-truths which insinuated that he pressured her, explaining that that was how he always communicated with her.
"She should reveal to the public how many times I pressured her because she could not keep up with the speed of the then administration," he demanded.
Yatani, who served as Labour CS before Uhuru entrusted him with Treasury, warned that going after former public servants who left office during the change of regimes would result in precipitating fear and inaction in future.
Yatani's clarification came a day after Nyakang'o appeared before the Parliamentary Public Petitions Committee where she admitted to approving the release of Ksh15 billion through coercion.
