President Uhuru Kenyatta has taken war on corruption a notch higher by declaring that not even his brother Muhoho Kenyatta is above the law.
Muhoho’s name cropped up on Monday during hearings of a joint parliamentary committee probing the importation of excess sugar into the country after the government suspended taxes on the commodity last year.
Speaking at an economic summit organised by the American Chamber of Commerce at the UN complex in Gigiri, Nairobi, on Thursday, the Head of State said if his brother broke the law he should not be spared.
President Uhuru’s remarks comes days after he vowed to deal firmly and decisively with all unethical people caught in the web of corruption that has hit the country.
The president assured Kenyans he had confidence in all the agencies mandated to fight corruption.
“I have been quiet all this time because I have full confidence in institutions. Let’s not politicise this fight, If my brother is involved aendelee tu,” he added. Loosely translated, aendelee tu means ilet him him continue with it.
The President’s remarks come in the wake of a report that was tabled before Parliamentary Committee that revealed Protech Investment Limited, a company owned by Muhoho is among firms that are licensed to import sugar. It however says it did not import part of the quantities that have kicked up a stink with its importers being accused of bringing in consignments contaminated by Mercury and Copper.
Aldai MP Cornelius Serem named Muhoho’s company among those being protected by the high and the mighty.
“After going through these documents we were given yesterday (Monday), I see why Matiang’i is not here. A company by the name Protech Investments Limited is owned by one of the strongest people in this country, and that could be why Matiang’i is not here because he is afraid,” charged Serem.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i had snubbed summons by the House Committee probing the sugar scandal.
But, on Wednesday, the Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri came to the defence of Uhuru’s kin saying Protech Investment Limited has never imported sugar.
The CS, while addressing journalists on Wednesday in Nairobi, said he was surprised that the company appeared on the list of those said to have brought in the commodity.
Kiunjuri maintained that Muhoho’s company had applied to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) to import sugar in 2011, but it was never granted permission.
He clarified that the list he tabled on Monday during a joint Agriculture and Trade committees’ sitting had 48 companies registered as importers of white refined sugar for industrial use.
If my brother Muhoho is guilty, let him face the law: Uhuru
