Former PS Mangiti tells MPs Waiguru forced him to sign Harakhe job letter

Former Planning PS Peter Mangiti has said he was "forced" to sign a letter creating a new deputy director general position for Adan Harakhe at NYS.

Mangiti faced the National Assembly PAC on Wednesday over the scandal whose value had been placed at Sh791 million, but raised to Sh1.6 billion in a report by the Auditor General.

Auditor General Edward Ouko affirmed that Harakhe's appointment was influenced by "forces that planned to loot the institution".

Harakhe's transfer to the National Youth Service was communicated through a letter dated November 27, 2014 that was signed by Mangiti.

Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua approved the transfer on April 24.

"When Waiguru asked me to sign the letter creating the new position for Harakhe, she told me she had spoken to the Public Service Commission," Mangiti said on Wednesday.

Harakhe password was used to transfer NYS money to suspect accounts.

But the former PS told the National Assembly Public Accounts Committee he did not draft the letter; he said it came with a memo from Waiguru's office.

"The PSC responded to the letter requesting the creation of a new position for Adan Harakhe and demanding for it to be advertised," he said.

He added that Waiguru later asked him to sign another document for Harakhe's deployment.

"After bringing Adan Harakhe to the NYS, the Cabinet Secretary asked me to sign his deployment letter. Harakhe was head hunted by Waiguru," he said.

But documents showed the deputy auditor general started working six months before the PSC approved the transfer.

Read: Harakhe job was part of plan to loot NYS – Ouko report

Also read: Waiguru brought in officer to handle procurement

Mangiti further told the committee that Harakhe was only assigned duties by the former Cabinet Secretary and was never promoted.

"I did not promote Adan Harakhe contrary to what was reported. His salary was still under job group Q. The committee should ask him what his salary was," he said.

Harakhe was accused of communicating directly to Waiguru instead of following protocol.

Read: I saved millions of shillings at the National Youth Service – Harakhe

Mangiti further said the youths agency suffered sabotage because of the leadership style.

"On matters about the restructuring of NYS, certain officials reported directly to the Devolution CS," he said, adding others were ordered not to report to him.

"Heads of departments of accounts and procurement were informed not to report to me by Waiguru," he said.

"Waiguru deployed her personal assistants to supervise procurement department".

He said he was forced to warn his staff during meetings not to abdicate their duties because of the influence of "so-called advisers".

Mangiti added that the ex-CS humiliated him in front of the workers on many occasions, saying he was stalling processes in the procurement department.

"I was on several occasions verbally humiliated by Waiguru in front of her advisers for perceived sabotage," he said.

"From the onset of the fraud, Waiguru propagated the narrative that I was a mole and a saboteur of the government agenda."

The former PS was charged with trying to cover up a conspiracy to defraud the National Youth Service of Sh695.4 million. He was accused alongside other suspects of threatening and intimidating Harakhe with consequences.

The committee questioned Mangiti following a session on Tuesday with key suspect, Nairobi businesswoman Josephine Kabura.

Read: Kabura tells PAC she owns, solely runs 20 companies in NYS probe

Also read: 'Hostile' Josephine Kabura admits giving Kago Sh60m without security

Source