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Raila loses bid to get Waiguru’s list of properties

By ABIUD OCHIENG November 22nd, 2017 2 min read

Nasa leader Raila Odinga has lost a bid to have Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru directed to provide information on her lifestyle.

Mr Odinga wanted an application filed against him by Ms Waiguru, alleging he had defamed her, to be dismissed if she fails to provide information sought in the suit.

High Court judge Joseph Sergon ruled that though Ms Waiguru declined to answer some questions asked by Mr Odinga’s lawyer relating to her lifestyle, she gave reasons for not answering.

“I am satisfied that Ms Waiguru responded to the interrogatories in accordance with the law,” Justice Sergon said.

In objecting to answer some questions in the court papers, Ms Waiguru, through her lawyer, said they were unnecessary and unreasonable.

Mr Odinga had asked her to respond to, among other issues, her salary, allowances, list of properties owned, and material worth.

NYS MONEY

Mr Odinga’s lawyer had said that responses to the questions would enable him to effectively respond to the defamation suit filed by Ms Waiguru, where she alleged malice in being linked to loss of money at the National Youth Service (NYS).

The former Devolution Cabinet secretary has also sued former senators Boni Khalwale (Kakamega) and Johnson Muthama (Machakos) for linking her to theft of Sh791 million at NYS.

Ms Waiguru, in court papers, states that Mr Khalwale and Mr Muthama, during a Cord rally on November 2015 at Uhuru Park, Nairobi, uttered words meant to imply that she had irregularly received public funds.

The two leaders are seeking to rely on court papers filed by Ms Waiguru as a defence in the suit.

NOT CANDID

Mr Khalwale and Mr Muthama state in the court papers that it is clear from an affidavit Ms Waiguru filed that she had not been candid to the public and the government about the fraud at NYS, leading to loss of the money.

They added that another affidavit by businesswoman Josephine Kabura, a key suspect in the scandal, gives an account of the theft and allegedly describes the key role Ms Waiguru reportedly played and the cover-up that followed.

“Initially, Ms Waiguru had publicly denied that money had been lost in the Ministry of Devolution and at NYS. But she recently admitted that there was theft, fraud and abuse of office,” the senators said in their court papers.