MP urges colleagues to surrender fuel guzzlers

By Standard Reporters

A Cabinet minister has told his colleagues and other senior Government officials to abide by the directive to surrender fuel guzzlers.

Agriculture Assistant Minister Gideon Ndambuki said the officials are duty bound to respect and implement Government policies.

Ndambuki wondered why some ministers were defying the directive by Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta yet they sit in the Cabinet, which came up with the policy.

"Our economy is overstretched and effort to reverse it must be supported," said the Kaiti MP.

Speaking to The Standard after a fundraiser in aid of St Stephens ACK church in Mukuyuni in his constituency, Ndambuki defended the international community against accusations it was interfering in the country’s internal affairs.

Set policies

"The international community is involving itself in our affairs because we have failed to abide by set policies," he added.

Meanwhile, ODM Chief Whip Jakoyo Midiwo wants the directive on Cabinet ministers and senior Government officers to return their vehicles suspended until a row over purchase of the new cars is resolved.

Mr Midiwo alleged the exercise by the Finance Ministry was riddled in corruption and must be investigated. The Gem MP tore into the ministry in the presence of Assistant Minister for Finance Oburu Oginga in a function in Alego-Usonga constituency at the weekend. He added that Finance ministry inflated the prices of the 120 Volkswagen Passat cars.

Midiwo claimed: "One car was bought at more than Sh3.9 million instead of Sh2.4 million."

Oburu declined to respond to Midiwo’s allegation when The Standard sought his reaction. Midiwo noted that Cabinet had not discussed purchase of the vehicles as required.

Not discussed

"I have talked to people who sit in Cabinet meetings and they said the issue was not discussed," he said.

Midiwo noted that he was not opposed to Government plans to cut down on costs, but the procurement Act must be followed.

At the same time, the Parliamentary Accounts Committee has summoned Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta to appear before it on Monday and explain why he violated the Public Procurement and Disposal Act while purchasing the cars.

— Stories by Daniel Nzia, Peter Atsiaya and George Olwenya

 

 

Read all about: Gideon Ndambuki Volkswagen Passat

 

 

|   |    |    Comments (0) |   Add Comment

---