Machakos County senator Johnston Muthama has for the first time in public defended suspended lands CS Charity Ngilu over corruption allegations against her.
Charity Ngilu was mentioned in the EACC corruption list of shame for allegedly directing valuers to inflate the value of the Waitiki land, where she was to receive a Sh60m bribe.
The over 930-acre Waitiki land in Likoni was to be bought from Evanson Waitiki by the government to settle squatters, who have been settling on the land. The land is valued at Sh9.3 million, but it was to be sold at Sh110m by the government.
Addressing the congregation at Africa Brotherhood Church (ABC) Kathiani on Sunday when he attended a church service, Muthama said that the allegations against Ngilu are political, urging President Uhuru Kenyatta to reinstate the minister.
Muthama either said that the operations of Waitiki land valuation and buying, which are being involved with Ngilu, were directed by the president, and so Ngilu is not to blame.
“I am telling the president to stop finding vows in Madam Ngilu, Am in the opposition, but I cannot like it when Ngilu is implicated, let him (president) leave Ngilu to do her job and not to send her again to do a faulty job,” said Muthama.
The Machakos senator has challenged president Uhuru to be on the forefront in fighting corruption by stepping aside himself, saying that most of the graft allegations in the government happen under him.
MPs led by Kiminini MP Chris Wamalwa, who accompanied Muthama have urged Kenyans to support the Okoa Kenya referendum steered by the opposition CORD Coalition to help address corruption, land reforms, and insecurity among others issues facing the country.