Six months after his sacking, former Minister for Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri now says President Uhuru Kenyatta once crucified him in public for crimes he never committed.
While officiating the Nairobi International ASK Show in October 2018, the President complained that money meant to pay maize farmers was paid to wealthy individuals and traders.
“Mungiriha nimukuona inyui (if you attempt to pay, you will see the consequences),” a fuming Mr Kenyatta told Mr Kiunjuri in Gikuyu at the Nairobi International ASK Show.
He said the President insinuated there was corruption in his ministry and was warned that he (Kiunjuri) would ultimately take political responsibility and pay for it.
“I always remember it because that is the highest level of humiliation I have ever gone through. In fact, I remember my son was watching the TV that evening. I still feel the pain for him,” he stated at Citizen TV’s JKL show.
He said he was fired after honouring summons at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission offices but ever since he has never been taken to court for any wrongdoing.
“The question is, why was he (President) asking so? And if in any way I was associated (with corruption), would I be a free man as of now,” a resentful Kiunjuri quipped.
However, Mr Kiunjuri was quick to state that he was not bitter over his sacking as he has gone through other major things in his political life that spans over 25 years.
He maintained that he did his job as a minister well and has never said anything negative on the President or criticized his government after his sacking.
A few days ago, a Nairobi court allowed police to investigate Mr Kiunjuri’s bank accounts over money laundering allegations.