MAIZE

Prime Minister Raila Odinga was informed of the complicity of his senior staff in the maize scandal in 2008 but did not act, it was claimed yesterday.

The former head of protocol in the PM’s office, Mr Tony Gachoka, claims he was hounded out of office for demanding that Permanent Secretary Mohammed Isahakia and Raila’s PA, Mr Caroli Omondi, clear their names over the scam.

Gachoka, who resigned in March last year, said in an interview that senior officials ganged up against him when he took them to task over the scam.


Tony Gachoka


Mohammed Isahakia

"The PM should have run away from certain individuals at his office. I resigned when I felt I was alone in demanding integrity. After a forensic report condemns them, honest servants are shocked when PM referred to graft suspects under investigations by KACC as innocent civil servants," Gachoka said.

He added: "When the PS Mohammed Isahakia was mentioned in Parliament in connection with the scam, it reflected on us all. I have seen junior officers being punished and traumatised in court because they kept quiet about their seniors’ involvement in corruption. That is what happened in Goldenberg and Anglo Leasing," Gachoka says.

He says as the head of protocol and concerned about the public image of the PM’s office, he wrote to his seniors, including the PS, and the PM himself, proposing a meeting to discuss the scam.

"However, I was shocked when, instead of a meeting being convened, I was interdicted for insubordination by the PS whom I had asked to come clean on his association with the maize saga. I had copied my concerns to the PM, and had hoped he would intervene before it came to heat being turned on me," Gachoka says.

In an internal memo dated March 11, 2009, addressed to the PS and copied to the PM, Gachoka wrote:

High level corruption

"The PS has not taken any action against an aide who the PM said publicly was suspended. The PS has made no effort to clear his name in the public domain after allegations of his own involvement in corruption over the maize scam, therefore allowing the perception of high level corruption to taint his office."

On March 13, the PS wrote to Gachoka interdicting him for "disrespectful and malicious behaviour that amounted to insubordination intended to undermine the office of the Prime Minister…"

Gachoka said he quit after what he calls "a rude awakening the PM was not willing to intervene in this matter."

Why talk now? "Now that the forensic report is out, Kenyans should know the PM was aware of the scams in 2008, and some people in his office urged him to take action, but he did not. I have correspondence to show I kept him updated but he took no action. That is why I resigned."

The Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act (2003) requires that individuals who have been convicted or are under investigations over corruption and economic crimes should vacate public office immediately.

The KACC on Wednesday announced it had re-opened the file on the maize saga.