Serious divisions in government have arisen after a parliamentary committee indicated it intends to summon ODM leader Raila Odinga to testify in committee hearings involving Public Accounts Committee Chairman Ababu Namwamba and several members of the committee.
Raila who has already indicated he is willing to testify is said to be raising fears as he ‘knows too much’ and may use the opportunity to reveal ‘more than we can handle’, a source in government was overheard saying yesterday moments after the Powers and Privileges Committee indicated it will summon the ex-PM.
Odinga is a veteran parliamentarian with a history as PAC member, where he once differed with former Vice President Kijana Wamalwa, then leader of Opposition after the demise of Jaramogi, who bungled PAC report on Goldenberg architect Kamlesh Pattni.
To understand how Odinga’s entry is causing jitters, the committee’s chair had to clarify they have only called him as a friend of the committee and that his testimony will be in relation to Ababu ‘secret recordings’ which was done in his presence.
“He has been mentioned and we have agreed he appears before the team…he is not a suspect,” said Moses Cheboi, chair of the team and MP for Kuresoi North.
The committee is investigating corruption scandals involving PAC members – especially the Chair (Hon Namwamba) – and senior government officials who are alleged to have given huge bribes to have their names deleted from committee reports, or have the reports thoroughly sanitised.
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