I was Forced to Release Sh11 Billion Before August Polls – Controller of Budget

Controller of budget Margaret Nyakang’o on Tuesday revealed how she was compelled to pay Sh11 billion just days before the August 9, 2022, general election.

Nyakang’o made the damning revelations while appearing before a Parliamentary Public Petitions Committee.

She presented WhatsApp conversations with former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani pushing her to expedite the authorization of Sh1 billion to the Presidency, and Sh10 billion to the Ministry of Infrastructure.

The exchanges as seen by this writer took place on August 4, five days before the hotly contested polls.

“We are intending to do Supp 2 and we need you to approve this for us immediately. These projects are security-related and a contractor abandoning the site due to non-payment,” Yatani tells Ms Nyakang’o.

“There is extreme urgency and I may ask the boss to call you if need be.”

Controller of Budget Nyakang'o explains how she was FORCED to pay over Shs. 15b – days to elections

Here @WhatsApp messages

Hii ukora is what they hope to hide with Demos, parts of a compromised media

The question is how much did the President know, and when did he know? pic.twitter.com/w426vkviW0

— -Dennis Itumbi (@OleItumbi) March 7, 2023

Her admission follows Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua’s account of how the country lost Sh16 billion during the transition period, stating that cash was stashed away in boxes.

Last week, the DP claimed that Sh10 billion was stolen during the Presidential election petition while another Sh6 billion had been stolen just two days before the August 9 general election.

“Two days before the elections, they stole Sh6 billion and pretended to sell some shares from Telkom. When there was a case before the Supreme Court, they stole another Sh10 billion purportedly to pay some contractors,” he said.

“Money was being brought in cartons at Wilson Airport and flown in choppers to people’s homes. And these are the people now unasikia wanaambiwa kuja andika statement kidogo, anaingia ndege anatoroka. And these people, who are thieves, were calling others thieves. They ripped this country…. They took everything,” Gachagua said.

On Sunday, the former Mathira MP threatened to name and shame the CSs and PSs involved in the theft in coming days.

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