Narok county senator Hon. Ledama Ole Kina has come out to defend President Uhuru Kenyatta for having an offshore account.
This comes in the wake of the now trending Pandora Papers. Kenya has, in a span of two days now, seen attacks and counter-attacks directed at the President and the first family for stashing money in offshore countries hence leaving the motherland dry – and in the economic doldrums.
In an interview with a local television station yesterday at night, the abrasive Senator made it clear that there is no problem with having offshore accounts, and that he too, is a beneficiary of such accounts.
“An offshore account is one that you use to diversify your investments. Let’s say you have a student who is going to school in United State, like in my case; when the child is in America, I have to make sure that she has money to use,” Ledama stated.
The senator took a swipe at those who have been castigating the president for money laundering. The fiery lawmaker further said that a case of money laundering can only be brought in if the person was living in poverty, then all of a sudden, you start seeing he has accounts in offshore countries with billions stashed there – a case that cannot be said is consistent with the lifestyle of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“If there is a case where people are laundering money and sending that money abroad, then we need to investigate that, but if you are a hardworking Kenyan that decides to invest abroad, then there is totally no problem with that” he went ahead.
In the meantime, Senator Ledama had a word of advice for the president: “If I were the president and it was my own money that I was investing abroad, I would ask whether that it is the best thing to do, but if I am a beneficiary, then that would be a different case,”
To clarify the issue, president Kenyatta had said that he would give a comprehensive report on the allegations once he comes back to the country from his state visit to Barbados.
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