Oburu: Hands off Wandayi, Kinyanjui

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Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party leader Oburu Oginga has condemned what he termed the "public lynching" of Energy and Petroleum Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi and his Trade and Investment counterpart Lee Kinyanjui over the recent fuel importation scandal.

His reaction comes after it was revealed that Wandayi and Kinyanjui had been copied in on the correspondence approving the purchase of the controversial fuel that emerged to not only be overpriced but also substandard. 

Leaked letters have since placed the two at the centre of the scandal with growing public and political scrutiny.

Oburu, however, argued that targeting the two Cabinet Secretaries was misplaced, arguing that they are not the accounting officers responsible for such transactions.

"Attempts at public lynching Lee Kinyanjui and Opiyo Wandayi, who are not accounting officers, as some leaders are attempting, will only derail investigations and politicise the scam, as we Kenyans are wont to do," he said.

"However, should professional investigations place responsibility on their actions, then there must be no sacred cows."

Wandayi and Kinyanjui are facing mounting pressure from the public and opposition figures demanding their resignation over their alleged failure to halt the fraudulent scheme. 

Senior officials stand accused of manipulating data on the country's fuel stocks to trigger an emergency purchase conducted outside the established Government-to-Government (G-to-G) procurement framework.

The irregular consignment, compounded by the prevailing global energy crisis, is expected to fuel a significant price hike at the next Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) fuel price review, due next Tuesday. 

Taxpayers are estimated to have lost up to Sh4.8 billion in the transaction.

Despite the controversy, ODM described the government's swift response against suspects as "commendable," while cautioning that accountability must not be applied selectively.

Last weekend, officers from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested and questioned Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director Joe Sang, and EPRA Director-General Daniel Kiptoo, all of whom subsequently resigned. 

Also arrested were Deputy Director of Petroleum Joseph Wafula and KPC Supply and Logistics Manager Joel Mburu.  All suspects were released on bond pending arraignment in court.

"Such promptness sends a strong signal that the era of complacency in the face of corruption must come to an end," Oburu said.