Raila Odinga accused politicians of shielding the embezzlement of billions intended for Kerio Valley dams, challenging claims that only Sh7 billion was stolen. The former prime minister alleged that investigations into the missing funds are ongoing and criticized attempts to downplay the scale of the theft.
"If we are talking about the theft of [funds] for the dams and figures are there, don't come and tell us that it is not Sh20 billion but it is only Sh7 billion," Odinga said. "Let the investigating authorities complete their investigations." He accused unnamed officials of trying to mislead the public about the true magnitude of the financial misconduct.
The remarks came during a speech at the Sixth Annual Devolution Conference in Kirinyaga, where Odinga called for an end to corruption and emphasized that no one is above the law. He directly referenced Deputy President William Ruto, whose earlier statement about the theft being limited to Sh7 billion drew sharp criticism.
"Who are you to tell us? How did you know? You are the thief who is trying to show us that the other person is the thief running away," Odinga said. He compared the situation to a thief attempting to divert suspicion by falsely implicating an innocent party.
Odinga reiterated his demand for transparency, stating that Kenyans deserve accountability. He also criticized political figures for avoiding responsibility by attending funerals instead of addressing corruption. The former PM reiterated his proposal for a three-tier government structure through constitutional reforms.
