Wanjigi faults Ruto's public debt taskforce, demands public inquiry

Businessman and politician Jimi Wanjigi has faulted President William Ruto for appointing a public debt audit taskforce to establish Kenya’s debt situation and to ascertain whether there was value for money borrowed.

According to Wanjigi, the president needs to sanction a Judicial Commission of Inquiry led by competent and reputable judges who will collect views from entities tasked with public finance management, experts, and Kenyans.

Wanjigi now says that a public inquiry guarantees transparency as opposed to a taskforce working at the whims of the presidency.

“The Goldenberg judicial inquiry is a good example. It called up evidence and made it public. People were questioned and many settlements were gotten out of that, including Kamlesh Pattni confessions and his forfeiting of properties,” he said while appearing on Spice FM on Tuesday morning.

Wanjigi added that a public inquiry would enable all concerned Kenyans, like himself, to table evidence of mismanagement of public finances on record, adding that  the commission must be credible and have specific timelines.

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President Ruto appointed the taskforce on Friday, July 5, with Nancy Onyango, an ex-International Monetary Fund (IMF) director, as the chairperson. Other taskforce members include Luis Franceschi, Philip Kakai, Shammah Kiteme, Vincent Kimosop, Abraham Rugo, and Aaron Thegeya.

Law Society of Kenya (LSK) has since withdrawn the participation of its President, Faith Odhiambo, from the taskforce arguing that the mandate bestowed upon the eight-member organ constitutionally rests with the Office of the Auditor General rendering its creation a usurpation, and duplication, of roles.

A similar argument was pursued in court by two petitioners, Nakuru doctor Magare Gikenyi and activist Eliud Mutindi, leading to yesterday’s temporary suspension of the taskforce by the High Court.

“The Auditor General has a forensic audit mandate but has never conducted such on the debt. The Controller of Budget is also highly responsible for the current situation,” said Wanjigi.

As a long-time crusader for audit of public finances, Wanjigi reiterated his argument that Kenya could be paying some debts that must be declared as odious, or illegitimate, to free Kenyan taxpayers of the crippling debt, and refunds for already repaid loans sought.

“We are being told we still owe Sh11 trillion. This is a Ponzi scheme. It is our modern-day slavery chain and until we yank it off, we are going to see no change,” he lamented.

“We will survive this by demanding a refund of what was paid in odious debt which is unconstitutional and amounts to no debt,” he remarked.