NAIROBI, Kenya, Jul 13 – Suspended Lands Cabinet Secretary Charity Ngilu has defended Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka over claims he grabbed National Youth Service (NYS) land in Yatta.
Ngilu who spoke after appearing at the Milimani Law Courts has instead accused the government of bias in the fight against corruption after a section of Jubilee MPs accused Musyoka of land grabbing.
“They (Jubilee MPs) are saying that Kalonzo was given NYS land in Yatta. That land belongs to the Kamba people and we cannot grab our own land,” she said amid chants and cheers from supporters.
Ngilu was in court for the mention of the case in which she is charged with blocking investigations into the Sh8bn Karen land, allegations she has denied.
She together with other ministry officials have been charged with obstructing EACC detectives by directing her subordinates not to give them access to the land’s records and advising them against recording statements with the detectives.
The National Assembly’s Lands Committee chaired by Tharaka MP Alex Mwiru which also presented an inconclusive report to the National Assembly had also accused the tough talking Cabinet Secretary of blocking them from obtaining files and information relating the Karen land from the ministry.
In a typical ‘scratch my back, I scratch yours’ scenario, Ngilu set aside her political inclination and came to the defence of the CORD co-principal who showed support for her when she first appeared in court over the 134-acre piece of land in Karen.
During her earlier appearance in court, Musyoka had accompanied her in a rare show of solidarity for the Ukambani leaders who rarely see eye-to-eye.
Ngilu fired salvos at the Jubilee administration for what she termed as non-commitment in addressing the graft purge saying the mighty and powerful were being protected from corruption allegations facing them while others like herself had been left to ‘hang out and dry’.
She went on to accuse the government of a political witch-hunt and dishonesty in their fight against corruption questioning the continued stay in office of officials and leaders accused of corruption (seen as a swipe at CS Anne Waiguru).
Her sentiments are bound to elicit debate as already a section of Jubilee MPs have dismissed her comments as mere opinion.
They have insisted that she should carry her cross and clear her name from the allegations she is facing.
Ngilu is among five Cabinet secretaries suspended after their names appeared in the infamous list of shame presented to Parliament by President Uhuru Kenyatta during his State of the Nation address.
