Wednesday, June 19, 2013

ATWOLI 'USED DONOR CASH FOR POLITICS'

Wednesday, June 19, 2013 - 00:00 -- BY DOMINIC WABALA
COTU diverted aid funds to Luhya unity talks last year organised by Secretary General Francis Atwoli. Auditors Deloitte are examining how COTU spent Sh120 million received from the Danish government aid arm Danida.
Documents seen by the Star show that COTU paid out two cheques to Boscovic Air Charters Ltd, for Sh231,996 and Sh181,126 on October 13, 2012. Both cheques were from the union's General Fund at Kenya Commercial Bank, Moi Avenue branch.
The unity talks in the Maasai Mara were attended by former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo, Atwoli, former Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi and Bungoma senator Moses Wetangula who resolved that they all work together.
At the time of the meeting, Jirongo, Wetangula and Mudavadi had all declared they would run for president. After the talks, Jirongo and Wetangula dropped out of the race and left only Mudavadi who became the UDF candidate.
On his return from the Maasai Mara on October 14, Atwoli said, “We have had very successful deliberations and I can assure you that these three gentlemen have agreed to work together. A time has come when western Kenya has to speak in one political voice and the people of this region can sleep easy knowing that the direction which we are headed is clear.”
Also under scrutiny is the Lo Norway HIV programme supported by International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) to combat HIV at the workplace.
ITUC-Africa sent $14,000 (Sh1.2m) to COTU but the programme was allegedly not conducted yet a fictitious report was presented along with pictures.
Auditors are also looking into why blank cheques for the COTU account at KCB were signed in advance without filling in the amount. The donors have commissioned an audit at COTU after allegations of impropriety.
The Star has seen two sets of bank statements from Kenya Commercial Bank held by COTU. Under scrutiny are 23 cheque withdrawals between December 14, 2010 and December 23, 2010 amounting to Sh52.9 million, especially there withdrawals totalling Sh5.1 million via cheque numbers 513, 514 and 515 on December 23, 2010.
According to documents seen by the Star, a Toyota Prado purchased for use in the Danida project was diverted and instead used by COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli.
Other money was allegedly diverted to pay for COTU officials’ participation in Agenda IV of the constitution. Over Sh4.4 million was used to pay media houses for live coverage of public rallies during the Agenda IV campaigns countrywide.
Two former COTU employees have been summoned to CID headquarters where they are expected to record statements on what was happening.
Banking Fraud Investigations Unit last week published the names of the two former COTU employees as wanted for investigations.
- See more at: http://the-star.co.ke/news/article-124791/atwoli-used-donor-cash-politics#sthash.6xu48vYc.dpuf

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