A document posted on Facebook appears to show that Kenya’s Building Bridges taskforce has come out in support of former attorney general Amos Wako, who was recently barred from entering the US for corruption.
Wako, a senator, is a member of the taskforce, which works with the government’s Building Bridges Initiative to find ways to create a more unified Kenya.
On 18 November 2019 US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo declared Wako and his immediate family as ineligible for entry into the US, after “credible information” had found he was involved in “significant corruption”.
The document, posted on Facebook on 19 November, appears to be a press release from the taskforce.
“While we appreciate that the Secretary of State acted within the US laws, we believe that Hon. Wako remains innocent in the Kenyan context and has never been charged and convicted under any Kenyan laws,” it reads.
“Hon. Wako has discharged his responsibilities as a joint Chair of the Taskforce with utmost zeal and dedication including authoring the chapter on fight against corruption in the BBI Taskforce Report.”
It seems to be signed by the joint secretaries of the taskforce, Martin Kimani and Paul Mwangi.
Wako has defended himself against the allegations, asking the US government to provide evidence of his alleged corruption. But did the BBI taskforce come to his defence too?
On 20 November, taskforce joint secretary Kimani posted the document on his verified Twitter account with the words “FAKE NEWS” stamped on it in red.
The post was a response to a Twitter user asking him if it was real.
“Thanks for checking. The letter is fake,” he wrote. – Grace Gichuhi
Wako, a senator, is a member of the taskforce, which works with the government’s Building Bridges Initiative to find ways to create a more unified Kenya.
On 18 November 2019 US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo declared Wako and his immediate family as ineligible for entry into the US, after “credible information” had found he was involved in “significant corruption”.
‘Remains innocent in Kenyan context’
The document, posted on Facebook on 19 November, appears to be a press release from the taskforce.
“While we appreciate that the Secretary of State acted within the US laws, we believe that Hon. Wako remains innocent in the Kenyan context and has never been charged and convicted under any Kenyan laws,” it reads.
“Hon. Wako has discharged his responsibilities as a joint Chair of the Taskforce with utmost zeal and dedication including authoring the chapter on fight against corruption in the BBI Taskforce Report.”
It seems to be signed by the joint secretaries of the taskforce, Martin Kimani and Paul Mwangi.
Wako has defended himself against the allegations, asking the US government to provide evidence of his alleged corruption. But did the BBI taskforce come to his defence too?
‘The letter is fake’
On 20 November, taskforce joint secretary Kimani posted the document on his verified Twitter account with the words “FAKE NEWS” stamped on it in red.
The post was a response to a Twitter user asking him if it was real.
“Thanks for checking. The letter is fake,” he wrote. – Grace Gichuhi
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