What Next Mr. President now that Henry Rotich is in court over corruption allegations?

by Adrian Opiyo · July 24, 2019

Yesterday the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) ordered the immediate arrest and prosecution of the CS for Treasury Henry Rotich and his PS Kamau Thuge. This is after DPP Noordin Haji made a press statement saying that he had valid and sufficient evidence that ties the two and 26 others to the Arror and Kimwarer dam scandal. The two immediately presented themselves to the Director of Criminal Investigation Offices and spent the night there to be arraigned in court today. People have raised their concern about the office of the treasury as no one is there to facilitate government functions.

The government cannot function effectively as treasury is one of the most important ministries in the government. The treasury is the government’s main bank and it conducts any financial transactions within or outside the country. Having left the office yesterday no statement has been issued from the statehouse especially from the president himself Uhuru Kenyatta. The president as many people thought was supposed to at least name an interim CS for Treasury which has not happened up to now. How is the government conducting itself without its chief financier is what people are still asking.

We don’t expect the office of the Treasury to be vacant until the court has finalized its prosecution. This may take weeks or months which I think don’t have that kind of luxury of time as many investment areas will be harmed. We also don’t expect CS Henry Rotich to go back to his office bearing in mind the remarks that the president made during this year’s parliament address. According to the president with the aim of fighting corruption in the country if any of his appointed CSs’ happens to be charge with corruption charges will vacate the office with immediate effect. In addition the CS should forget about returning to his position.

CS Henry Rotich and the other 27 persons are facing 15 corruption charges including conspiracy to defraud the government of Kenya. Other charges include abuse of office, committing an offence on financial misconduct, fraudulent acquisition of public property and engaging in a project without prior planning among others.