NYS Scandal Prime Suspect Anne Ngirita Joins Race for Nakuru Woman Rep Seat

Anne Ngirita, a prime suspect in the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal, has declared interest in the Nakuru woman representative seat.

On Tuesday, Ngirita decamped to Jubilee Party from Deputy President William Ruto's United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Speaking to reporters outside Jubilee Nakuru branch offices, she claimed that she had joined UDA out of peer pressure, adding that she wants to be part of ODM leader Raila Odinga’s ‘Azimio La Umoja’ movement.

"Yes nilikua kwa chama ya UDA but nilitoka mimi mwenyewe. Nilitoka kwa sababu Baba (Raila) and Uhuru walisema turudi nyumbani nikaona nilikua nimepotea. Ilikua out of peer pressure," Ngirita is quoted as saying.

If elected to parliament, Ngirita pledged to fight for the rights of youth and woman as well as empower them. 

"Mimi nataka kusaidia youth na kina mama. Mimi najua zile shida youth wanapitia," she added.

Jubilee secretary-general Raphael Tuju dismissed earlier reports that the party had rejected Ngirita and asked her to seek clearance from the anti-graft agency and KRA.

Tuju termed the claims as baseless and unfounded, saying the governing party was committed to welcoming new party members to the political outfit irrespective of their previous political affiliations.

"Every UDA 'member" coming back home is most welcome," Tuju is quoted as saying by The Star.

It is alleged that Ngirita pocketed millions of shillings from the NYS after supplying ‘air.’ In this case, she is charged alongside her sister Phyllis Ngirita, brother Jeremiah Gichini Ngirita, and their mother Lucy Wambui Ngirita. The family is said to have illegally received about Sh300 million from the youth agency.