Prime Cabinet Secretary, Musalia Mudavadi on Thursday, March 9, revealed that his wife’s office did not spend any public funds on charitable activities.
Speaking during the people's dialogue festival, organised by the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD), Mudavadi stated that the office would remain in operation because it helps the needy in the community.
The Prime CS was addressing questions about claims that the recently launched Office of the Spouse of the Prime Cabinet Secretary gobbled public funds.
“There has been no public expenditure that gone towards the office of Tessie Musalia and I don't see any public expenditure occurring.
“We will not stop supporting other people who are in need through charitable efforts but I am very clear that it will not be at the expense of the public funds,” Mudavadi stated.
Mudavadi, a former Vice President, stated that the office did not run under the government adding that Tessie Musalia had been doing charity work when he was not in government.
“I appreciate that activities of this nature are not government activities. They are social, philanthropic interventions that we made.
“Mrs Musalia Mudavadi has been in this process whether I was in the government or not,” the Prime CS explained.
On calls for merger of affiliate parties within the Kenya Kwanza coalition, Mudavadi dismissed it as a non-issue and that the government was focused on addressing pressing issues.
The former ANC party leader stated that there were laws clearly stipulated in the 2010 Constitution that allowed parties to exist independently and had structures.
“There are democratic processes rooted in the constitution to guide such a process if it becomes necessary.
“We have the drought and dealing with the pending bills. The issue of the merger is at the bottom of priority,” Mudavadi added.
Earlier on march 5, Mudavadi's Amani National Congress (ANC) held a crisis meeting following demands from President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA) for a merger of all affiliate parties.
ANC stated that the party would not dissolve into UDA adding that they had a huge stake in the Kenya Kwanza coalition.
"I want to make it clear that the Amani party is not going to fold. we are an independent party which is part of the Kenya Kwanza coalition. That discussion is not important now," party leader Governor Issa Timamy stated.
On March 4, UDA Secretary-General Cleophas Malala gave affiliate parties up to August to fold, adding that they could only speak in one voice with the government if they were in UDA.
