Controller of Budget Admits To Being Forced To Pay Ksh15B Before 2022 Elections

Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang'o, on Tuesday, March 7 revealed how she was arm-twisted to approve Ksh15 billion days leading to the August 9, 2022, General Election.

While appearing before the Parliamentary Public Petitions Committee, Nyakang'o revealed that she was under duress to sign out Ksh15 billion days before the elections.

Digital Strategist Dennis Itumbi backed up her sentiments by sharing leaked WhatsApp chats purported to have happened on August 4, 2022.

A transcript of the chats seen by Viral Tea revealed a conversation between two high-ranking government officials, among them an ex-cabinet secretary.

"Evening Controller. We are intending to do Supp 2 latest end of the actor abandoning the site due to none payment. There's extreme urgency and I may ask the boss to call you if need be. You need to approve this for us immediately.

"Please help us urgently clear this to enable us to deal with the challenges of petroleum," the ex-CS reportedly told Nyakang'o.

The CS was also alleged to send a document requesting Ksh1 billion to be released to the presidency, as the CoB remained unresponsive to the chats.

The former CS also asked Nyakang'o on August 4, 2022, to facilitate similar approvals for the infrastructure ministry for amounts of Ksh8 billion and Ksh2 billion and went on to threaten to involve his boss in the event the CoB did not expedite the matter if the approval was not made before 4.00 pm.

"Are you saying we have 26 minutes to complete the process?" she posed.

"He's just called and I assured him that I have spoken to you and you promised before the end of the day. 

"I know he'll call again. He persuaded some guys to resume work and promised that their bill be settled by today," the CS replied.

Hesitant, Nyakang'o informed the CS that she was unable to make the approval as she was out of the office and wanted to push it to the next day, but she was told "You need to devise how to deal with it. I am sorry but try."

The CS was yet to respond to the new allegations by the time of publishing this story.

This comes after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua vowed to name individuals from former President Uhuru Kenyatta's regime who allegedly stole billions of shillings in the last three months leading up to the elections.

Speaking on Sunday, March 5, at Jesus Winner Ministry, Roysambu, Gachagua claimed that a number of senior government officials including Cabinet Secretaries (CSs) and Principal Secretaries (PSs) had gone on to loot funds after President William Ruto was declared the winner by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC).

According to him, the officials were receiving money packaged in sacks at their homes using planes that flew from the Wilson Airport in Nairobi. He promised to unmask the individuals behind the alleged sentiments in the coming days.