REINSTATEMENT QUESTIONED

Gichugu Member of Parliament, Ms Martha Karua, has faulted the government for reinstating the four Permanent Secretaries suspended over the maize and free primary education scandals before anyone had been held to account for the losses.

Ms Karua said the reinstatement of Dr. Mohamed Isahakia, then of the Office of the Prime Minister, Dr. Romano Kiome of Agriculture, Ali Daud Mohamed of Special Programmes, Prof. Karega Mutahi of Education and the Principal Admninistrative Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office had sent the wrong signals about the government's commitment to fighting corruption.

Karua added that the move would only entrench impunity saying the PSs should not have been reistated before someone had made good the public loss.

"Is the Government now telling us there was no scandal?" the MP posed.

She spoke in Runyenjes in Embu East District where she was guest of honour at celebrations to mark 100 years of the Girl Guide Movement accompanied by local MP, Ms Cecily Mbarire.

The MPs urged support for the proposed constitution saying it promised a lot for the emancipation of women and urged the movement to use its network to campaign for its passage during the August 4 referendum.

Karua said that besides ensuring the spread of more resources to the grassroots from the Central Government, the Draft Constitution also promised a reformed Judiciary and better trained and equipped police service.

The Gichugu MP commended the National Cohesion Commission for finally cracking the whip against leaders named for hate mongering but said there was still room for the Commission to do more.

She told those that the commission had acted against to bear their own crosses instead of pulling their communities into messes of their own making.

Suspended Roads Assistant Minister, Dr. Wilfred Machage, who was charged with making hate speech on Wednesday, on Thursday accused the government of intimidating him over his stand on the draft constitution.

He added that small communities were being persecuted for demanding their rights.