Kibaki used taxpayers’ Sh25m on kin’s studies

Former President Mwai Kibaki. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By EDWIN MUTAI

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Summary

• Former Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura told Parliament that Mr Kibaki instructed him to ensure that the children of Philip Githinji Nderitu were assisted with scholarships.
• Mr Muthaura told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that Mr Kibaki directed that Mr Githinji be assisted after he appealed for help.
• Mr Muthaura told MPs that he initiated support, adding he was implementing a presidential directive.

Former president Mwai Kibaki used Sh25.5 million of taxpayers’ money to educate two children of his nephew who studied in Australia while he was the Head of State.

Former Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura told Parliament that Mr Kibaki instructed him to ensure that the children of Philip Githinji Nderitu were assisted with scholarships.

Ian Nderitu Githinji had done two and a half years pursuing a master’s in Analytics when his father asked Mr Kibaki for help while his sister Sandra Githinji was to pursue a four-year Bachelor’s degree in Interior Design.

Mr Muthaura told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that Mr Kibaki directed that Mr Githinji be assisted after he appealed for help.

“Mr Githinji is a nephew of former president Mwai Kibaki. He wrote to the president in August 2011 appealing for help after he lost his job at Oil Libya and had children in Australian universities,” Mr Muthaura said.

“Normally nephews will go to their uncles for assistance. Whether you are a president or MP you will be under pressure from nephews,” he told the committee chaired by Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi. The committee is investigating how taxpayers' money was used to support Mr Githinji’s children.

Mr Muthaura told MPs that he initiated support, adding he was implementing a presidential directive. “I wrote to then PS Chrispus Kiamba to assist with the educational scholarship becuase this family was in distress.”

Prof Kiamba, who also appeared before the MPs, said he assisted the two children with scholarships after he received two letters, one from Mr Muthaura and another from Mr Kibaki’s private secretary Nick Wanjohi.

Mr Muthaura sought support for Ian Githinji while Prof Wanjohi wrote asking Prof Kiamba to include both Ian and Sandra in the scholarship assistance.

“On the basis of Mr Muthaura’s instructions, we went ahead and charged taxpayers’ money on this undertaking. There was a good argument, it was a special case and public funds were utilised,” Prof Kiamba said. Mr Githinji in his letter to Mr Kibaki asked for help to educate his seven children and two of his deceased brother.

Auditor-General Edward Ouko had questioned the expenditure of Sh3.74 million being payment of scholarship for the two students in Australia.

He said the money was paid through voucher number 11200 on June 29, 2015 in favour of the PS Ministry of Foreign Affairs in respect of the two students in Australia.

“However, no evidence of supporting approvals and details of the type of courses paid for was availed [sic] for audit review.”

In the circumstances the propriety of expenditure of Sh3,744,032 paid to the PS Foreign Affairs could not be confirmed,” Mr Ouko said.

Mr Wandayi and Otiende Amollo (Rarieda) demanded to know why Mr Kibaki used his influence to secure scholarship for his nephews children contrary to the Constitution on Leadership and Integrity.