Africa-Press – Kenya. MSMEs Cabinet Secretary and former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has responded to the High Court’s decision nullifying the withdrawal of his corruption case, saying he has nothing to hide and is ready to face any process.
Speaking in Kakamega, Oparanya defended his record in office and accused his critics of mounting a politically motivated campaign.
“They should check all the development we did here all those years. If they have evidence that Oparanya has stolen, let them proceed. I don’t fear anything,” he told his supporters.
Oparanya described the renewed scrutiny as a political witch-hunt intended to weaken his influence in Kakamega County.
He said the focus should be on the development projects implemented during his two terms as governor rather than on unproven allegations.
“The people of Kakamega know what we achieved,” he said, insisting that his tenure was marked by development programmes that benefited residents.
On September 16, the High Court quashed the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision to withdraw Oparanya’s graft case, declaring the review unconstitutional.
The court observed that the July 8, 2024, letter in which the DPP ordered the closure of Oparanya’s file “was shrouded in mystery and worked against public interest,” violating Article 157(11) of the Constitution, which requires the ODPP to act in the public interest and uphold the principles of transparency and accountability.
The case, filed as a constitutional petition by activist Fredrick Mulaa, challenged the DPP’s reversal of an earlier decision to prosecute Oparanya for alleged conflict of interest, abuse of office, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit corruption.
The EACC had investigated the former Kakamega governor and recommended his prosecution over alleged kickbacks amounting to Sh56.7 million from companies that won contracts in Kakamega County during his tenure as the county governor.
However, the DPP later closed the file after receiving representations from Oparanya’s lawyers.
The judgment effectively restored the legal basis for prosecution but did not automatically return the matter to a trial court.
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