Ukur Yatani, who previously served as the Cabinet Secretary of the Treasury, has disclosed that shortly after the elections on August 9, he was pressured into transferring 1.59 billion Kenyan shillings to the office of the deputy president, Rigathi Gachagua.
Yatani said in a letter that was released on Wednesday that the suggestion was made in accordance with Article 223 of the Constitution, which gives the Treasury Secretary the authority to transfer money in exceptional situations without first obtaining consent from parliament.
"It comprised Sh300 million for vehicles and Sh300 million for hospitality, a demand that I did not give in whole but contemplated an amount of Sh500 million owing to the budgetary restrictions we had at the time," Yatani added. "It was a proposal that I evaluated, granting in the amount of Sh500 million."
"This record, in addition to all others, is available in the public domain, and due to the open nature of what happens at National Treasury, I do not intend to conceal," she said.
Yatani said that any investment that was not approved by Parliament but was thought to be necessary for running the government could be made if it was approved by the legislature within two months.This provision is included in Article 223 of the Constitution.
He stated that this referred to the same path enshrined in the constitution, something that Controller of Budgets Margaret Nyakang'o used to authorize the Sh15 billion. She stated on Tuesday before the National Assembly Public Petitions Committee that he forced her to give her approval.
"If it is true that the Sh15 billion was authorized with the goal of stealing, then the current Supplemental Budget raises the question about the reason it was included in the first place," Yatani asked.
In the announcement, the former head of the Treasury called Nyakang'o's claims "false and spiteful" and said that he is thinking about taking legal action against her.
"This portrayal is both libelous and slanderous to my person and to the professionalism I provide to the general public in a variety of positions. My attorneys have been given the instruction to investigate her statements and seek her counsel on a potential legal action against her," Yatani added.
He said that the 15 billion shillings that Nyakang'o said were stolen were supposed to be used to build a KDF hospital, highways between Lamu and Garissa and between Garissa and Isiolo, and incentives for fuel and maize to help Kenyans deal with the rising cost of living.
"In the event that any members of the public harbor any skepticism with respect to the aforementioned spending, I thus request that the constitutional office of the Auditor General investigate this expenditure." "In addition, I am certain that she will find my behavior to be justified," Yatani stated.
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