- On Thursday, Ichung'wah dismissed Raila's dossier in which he accused the government of corruption through the Government-to-Government oil deal.
- Ichung'wah termed it "usual theatrics and charade" saying the dossier lacked substance and was nothing short of Raila's "usual propaganda and rumour mills".
Image: ODM/X
Azimio leader Raila Odinga has fired back at Majority leader Kimani Ichung'wah for terming the dossier he released on Thursday over the Government-to-Government oil deal as hot air.
While responding to questions during an ODM Parliamentary Group meeting on Friday, Raila said it was not within Ichung'wah's capacity to respond to the claims he made as the dossier was directed at the government.
"It was a very comprehensive statement which gave clear facts and I challenged the government to contradict what I had said. This other one basically just talked and said 'hot air'," he said.
"I don't know which hot air where that guy is coming from and this is supposed to be Majority leader of government. I think the matter was directed at the Executive not at the Legislature. So it's not the work of Mr Ichung'wah to respond."
On Thursday, Ichung'wah convened a press conference at parliament buildings and dismissed contents of Raila's contents in which he accused the government of perpetuating corruption through the Government-to-Government oil deal.
Ichung'wah termed it "usual theatrics and charade" saying the dossier lacked substance and was nothing short of Raila's "usual propaganda and rumour mills".
"What Raila Odinga billed as a dossier is nothing short of hot air, political propaganda and cheap street rumours. Odinga rightfully states Kenya's Ministry of Energy and Petroleum signed a deal with state-owned petroleum companies in the Middle East, if that is not a government-to-government deal, what else is G-to-G if not a contract signed between a government ministry and state-owned cooperation?" he posed.
On March 10, the government through the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum entered into a G-to-G agreement with Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates companies for the supply of petroleum to save the country from shutdown due to nationwide petroleum shortage.
The deals were signed with Aramco Trading Fujairah FZE (ARAMCO), Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Global Trading Ltd and Emirates National Company (Singapore) Private Ltd (ENOC).
The companies nominated Gulf Energy Limited, Galana Energies Limited and Oryx Energies Kenya Limited as their local oil marketing companies in line with the Master Framework Agreement.
The process underwent scrutiny and approval by the National Assembly and the Office of the Attorney General.
In his dossier, however, Raila pointed out that the G-to-G deal is nothing but corruption masked as a legitimate agreement between two governments.
He argues that if indeed it was a government-to-government deal, there would be no need to have private entities sign the MoU.
"The issues I raised are still valid. I want the government to show the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the republic of Kenya and the government of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the government of United Arab Emirates," he reaffirmed.
"Not signed between the minister for Energy and the CEO of ARAMCO because they call this G-to-G. G-to-G means that it's an agreement between those governments and the Kenya government."
Raila further said the government should make public the tax returns of the two companies that were appointed by the government to handle the oil cargo and the supplier purchase agreement.
"Then tell us why Epra's boss Mr Kiptoo was involved in the negotiation of these contracts yet he is the one also here fixing prices. If that is not corruption, I don't know what corruption is," Raila said.