Jubilee MP Launches Impeachment Motion Against Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich

A Member of Parliament has launched an impeachment motion against National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.

Kimilili MP Didmus Wekesa has written to the clerk of the National Assembly seeking approval for the ouster of Rotich over failure on his duties.

In his motion, the MP accuses the Cabinet Secretary of poor implementation of the law capping interests on loans which became operational in September, 2016.

“For the few who have been able to access credits during the operation of the interest rate cap, they find themselves unable to meet their obligation in time because of a poor performing economy under Mr Rotich’s leadership; many Kenyans have now been registered at credit reference bureaus,” argues Wekesa.

Wekesa further claims that Rotich has allowed cartels operating in the financial sector to make obscene profits using the capping on interests.

Wekesa also accuses CS Rotich of over borrowing thus crippling the country's economy. He says Rotich went for external commercial loans instead of concessional loans.

“One wonders why Mr Rotich would go for commercial debt instead of concessional debt. This appetite for commercial debt has created pressure on governments liquidity and therefore ability to repay arising liabilities,” says Wekesa.

The country's estimated public debt to GDP stood at 56.2 per cent in 2017, rising from 44 percent five years ago, and 38.4 a decade ago.

The MP also says the Treasury CS should be held personally responsible for the importation of contaminated sugar into the country through a gazette notice he issued last year.

“His notice did not prescribe specific conditions on quantity nor quality of the sugar to be imported,” Barasa states.

Wekesa says the aforementioned grounds are enough to oust Rotich from the powerful position.