‘I don’t need to save anyone,’ Raila says Waiguru on her own in the Senate

ODM Party leader Raila Odinga has dismissed claims of working behind the scene to save impeached Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru from losing her seat.

Speaking on Monday morning, Mr. Odinga said the Senate, which is set to determine Governor Waiguru’s fate, should work independently without influence from any quarters.

“The Senators should carry out the mandate independently. I don’t need to save anyone. Let someone defend themselves based on the facts presented,” said Odinga.

He was speaking after receiving his coronavirus-free certificate a day after undergoing test for COVID-19 at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) in Mbagathi.

On Sunday, however, National Assembly Minority Whip Junet Mohamed, while visiting flood victims in Garsen, Tana River County revealed that the ODM Party had resolved to save Waiguru and is rallying its senators for the impeachment vote.

At the same time Mr. Odinga denied reports claiming that he held a meeting with Waiguru ostensibly to save her political career.

In a statement to newsrooms on Sunday, Odinga termed the report published on the Sunday Nation as false, adding that he has not instructed ODM Senators to save the Kirinyaga Governor.

“I am deeply concerned about the false story published in the Sunday Nation today, 14th June 2020, that I held a meeting with the recently impeached Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru in a bid to save career. No such meeting with Ms. Waiguru or the other governors, James Nyoro of Kiambu and Mutahi Kahiga of Nyeri took place as reported in the Sunday Nation,” said Odinga.

“I also wish to make it clear that there does not exist any Senate Committee to investigate governor Waiguru and whose members from ODM I have instructed to save the governor as reported in the Sunday Nation.”

The former Prime Minister says on Thursday evening when the alleged meeting with Waiguru and a host of other leaders is claimed to have occurred, he was meeting with Laikipia Woman Representative Catherine Waruguru and other MPs.

Intense lobbying is understood to have been taking place to save Governor Waiguru who was impeached by the Kirinyaga County Assembly over alleged violation of the Constitution, abuse of office and gross misconduct.

The Senate is set to kick start hearing the impeachment proceedings on Tuesday, June 16.