The National Youth Service (NYS) scandal took a fresh twist on Tuesday when Jubilee Party foot soldiers came out guns blazing to expose companies they allege were conduits for Opposition leader Raila Odinga to pocket millions looted from the NYS.
Led by Kikuyu MP Kimani Ichung’wa, the legislators unveiled two companies associated to Odinga's close ally Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, which allegedly received millions through dubious dealings with the youth agency.
According to the lawmakers, some of the monies paid to the companies were wired to the former prime minister.
Zeigham Enterprises Limited, a company registered on 30 July 2012 with Mr Mohammed as its director, is said to have conducted business with NYS and supplied goods worth Sh21.8 Million.
The second firm Fahaza Limited apparently belongs to Junet's sister — Hafsa Sheikh Nuh — who is also the wife to Hassan Noor, the former chief of staff at the Devolution Ministry. Mr Noor is also one of the suspects in the NYS scandal.
According to reports, Fahaza Ltd was granted a contract worth Sh51.8 Million.
On Tuesday, Jubilee lawmakers noted that the new unveilings were proof that the ODM leader could have been a beneficiary of the funds through his friend Mr Mohammed and his history with Mr Noor.
“It is in the public domain that Hassan Noor, a key suspect in the NYS racket, is a long-time aide of Mr Odinga. Indeed, as PM, Odinga forwarded Noor’s name to various committees... to represent his interests,” Mr Ichung’wa said.
Earlier on, Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, who has also been adversely mentioned in the scandal, indicated that Odinga pocketed millions from questionable contracts with NYS.
The Senator alleged that some CORD MPs including Mr Mohammed received contracts from the NYS and were paid over Sh100 Million.
“We understand that CORD politicians among them Junet Mohamed were given contracts in the NYS and those contracts amounted to over Sh100 Million. And it is said that when Junet was paid, he took the money to Raila Odinga,” Murkomen claimed.
However, Mohammed — who is also ODM's Elections Director — dismissed any connection to the aforementioned companies highlighting that he was not the director.
He pointed out that before he was elected to Parliament in 2013, he had already cut links with Zeigham Enterprises Ltd, where he allegedly had a 50-percent shareholding.
Nonetheless, Kikuyu MP Mr Ichung'wa accused him (Mohammed) of withdrawing his name from the company when the NYS saga came to light.
"When the business was done and the NYS scam came up, in 2015 Junet must have moved very fast to change directorship,” he noted during an interview on Citizen TV.
Ichung'wa further accused Mr Mohammed of getting tenders through underhand methods because of his close connection to Mr Noor, who is his brother-in-law.
