Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has hit back at critics who continue to link her to the National Youth Service (NYS) scandal, saying the matter should not be used to judge her leadership years after it emerged.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV’s Sunday Live, Waiguru argued that those who keep bringing up the scandal are more interested in damaging her reputation than discussing her record in office.
“Everybody has got a stain. You know the true story about NYS, you know who was involved. They have prosecuted the people who were involved,” she said.
Waiguru questioned why the scandal was still being raised years later, arguing that her critics should focus on other issues instead of repeatedly revisiting the controversy.
“Anyone who brings up that story just wants to throw mud because they can’t find something. Fifteen years later, by now you should be having something else,” she said.
The governor also pointed to her election victories as proof that voters had continued to trust her leadership. She was elected in 2017 and secured a second term in 2022.
“I have been elected twice, the first woman governor to be elected twice,” Waiguru said.
The NYS scandal attracted national attention during her time as Cabinet Secretary for Devolution and Planning. It involved the loss of public funds at the National Youth Service, leading to investigations and prosecutions. The amounts reported in connection with the scandal ranged from KSh791 million to KSh1.8 billion, with other pending claims and extensions pushing the figures higher.