ICT CS nominee William Kabogo during his vetting in Parliament on January 14, 2025/ENOS TECHE
A dossier tabled in Parliament in 2010 on suspected drug traffickers returned to haunt Information, Communication, and the Digital Economy CS nominee William Kabogo during vetting.
Kabogo had appeared before the Committee on Appointments of the National Assembly chaired by Speaker Moses Wetang’ula for approval hearings.
Responding to a question from Suna East MP Junet Mohammed, Kabogo said he has never dealt with drugs of any kind his entire life.
“This is a question I have dealt with the whole of my life since George Saitioti dropped names of suspected drug traffickers,” he stated.
Jokingly, Wetang’ula asked Kabogo if he has never dealt with drugs like panadol, a painkiller.
“I do not think Junet was talking about panadol, but if they are the ones he was referring to, I have some in my pocket,” he stated.
Kabogo said the dossier tabled by the then Internal Security Minister was a product of shoddy investigations.
“I ask Kenyans to look at the dossier brought to the House; even if it were to be presented to Inspector Mwala (a local television series), it will not pass,” he added.
Kabogo further added that government agencies and the police later did thorough investigations and gave a report showing he has never been involved as a drug trafficker.
In December 2010, then Internal Security Minister George Saitoti sensationally named four MPs in Parliament as suspected drug traffickers.
Prof Saitoti said the police were investigating the MPs over alleged involvement in the illicit drug trade.
He also indicated that a businessman was also being probed.
Their names are among those contained in a dossier from the American Embassy to the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission a month ago, it was revealed
On Tuesday, Kabogo said the authors of the dossier probably did not get what they had hoped to find.
“It has continued to happen. You will still find some of us are named Pablo(Escobar), but the truth is, I did take some people to court and took long, but the matter was settled. It is something I am bound to live with for the rest of myself,” he said.