I did not fund NASA with county cash, Kidero says

Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero has denied using county cash to bankroll Raila Odinga’s campaigns.

He hit back at President Uhuru Kenyatta over his remarks, terming them “lies”.

During a public rally at Uhuru Park on Saturday, Uhuru claimed that NASA had resorted to public fundraising because the governors who used to fund its activities lost in the August 8 election.

The President cited Nairobi and Kajiado that he claimed heavily funded Raila’s campaigns.

Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko said the daily revenue collection at City Hall has increased by more than Sh13 million since he took over.

Kidero lost to Sonko in Nairobi, while David Nkedianye of ODM lost to Jubilee’s Joseph Lenku in Kajiado.

Citing Nairobi, Uhuru said the county currently collects Sh40 million per day, up from Sh17 million.

“The difference is what our colleagues used to pocket and use for their evil deeds,” he said.

But Kidero termed Uhuru’s utterances unpresidential and rumour-mongering. “We have never given money from the county government to NASA or their co-principals and the statement by the President was very unfortunate,” Kidero said.

“He should avoid involving himself in frivolous and trivial statements of lies like the one he was saying yesterday [Saturday]. He should rise above that because every Kenyan is looking up to him.”

Kidero said Raila and his running mate Kalonzo Musyoka have run for the presidency before and financed their campaigns. The current fundraising for election is not unique to NASA, Kidero said. Even Uhuru and his team fundraised for their campaigns before the August 8 election and raised more than Sh500 million in 10 minutes.

“They should not panic. We are requesting our President to act presidential because the presidency is a symbol of national unity and if there is any legacy every President wants to leave, it is that of unity where people feel included and not sidelined,” Kidero said.

On the increase in daily revenue collection, Kidero said seasonal parking tickets for the more than 30,000 PSVs in the CBD are usually paid for in the first week of the month, thus the surge in revenue.

“When we got to City Hall, collections were only Sh5 billion. We moved it to Sh12 billion and if they are saying that they have increased it then let it go to Sh15 billion and above,” he said.

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