President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday lashed out at former anti-corruption czar John Githongo for failing to honour an invite to State Houseโs accountability summit.
The invitation was extended to the whistle blower in the wake of his recent comments that characterised the Jubilee government as most corrupt regime in post-colonial Kenya.
WHY DIDNโT HE COME
The President, who appeared distraught during his address at the summit, said; โIโm disappointed that my friend Githongo who is always challenging me out there, why didnโt he come to raise those issues that he raises elsewhereโฆraise those issues here? It is in every Kenyanโs interest for us to make progressโฆfor us to find solutions.โ
State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu had on Monday indicated that anti-graft crusaders John Githongo and David Ndii were among those invited for the summit.
Other government officials who spoke at summit also weighed in, with pointed criticisms towards Mr Githongo and Saturday Nation columnist David Ndii, who have separately been critical of corruption in President Kenyattaโs government.
PROVIDE EVIDENCE
Majority leader Aden Duale challenged Mr Githongo to provide evidence stating, โWhen Githongo says this is the most corrupt government, he must provide evidence.โ
Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich said, โMr Ndii did not show up because he would not have been able to substantiate claims he made that Eurobond money had been stolen.โ
He added that not a single shilling of the money was lost and there is documentation to prove the same.
Mr Ndii, anย economist, has in his bi-weekly articles insisted that the Sh120 billion Eurobond money was lost.
Mr Githongo had last week in an interview on NTV blamed President Kenyatta for the corruption in government, saying the head of state had not provided the goodwill to fight corruption.
Kenyans on Twitter who noted the absence of both Mr Ndii and Mr Githongo expressed their mixed reactions to the no-show.
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NGINYAH NGARUMA, HSC @nginyahn#AccountabilityKE Very disappointing of John Githongo and David Ndii not to show up. This puts to question their credibility and agenda
John Githongo is that one guy who peddles lies and flees after the issue escalates. Bure kabisa #StatehouseSummit#AccountabilityKE
Tht panel is Kenya. Soft, jokey, hesitant, unfocused. If KE were serious IG Martha, DPP Miguna, EACC Githongo, AG Betty#AccountabilityKE
I think it was a miscalculation for Ndii, Githongo to boycott the summit. Sometimes you gotta take the devil by fangs
#AccountabilityKE
#AccountabilityKE i think Githongo and Ndii avoided this forum because it would have been a lecture by the President
Githongo has no time for thieves. Jubilee has raped our economy.@UKenyatta #JubileeStopYourLies
#AccountabilityKE where is the opposition in this debate? Githongo? Ndii? i’d love to hear their side of the story @kroprichard@ruthsuchia
Good of @HonAdenDuale to call out Ndii, Githongo for not coming to engage publicly on corruption allegations they make at#AccountabilityKE
-nairobinews.nation.co.ke