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{
"id": 1482587,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1482587/?format=api",
"text_counter": 429,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Hon. Rigathi Gachagua",
"speaker_title": "His Excellency the Deputy President",
"speaker": {
"id": 13428,
"legal_name": "Rigathi Gachagua",
"slug": "rigathi-gachagua"
},
"content": "proceeds coming from my dairy farm. I have read the Motion and there is no iota of evidence adduced on the impropriety in the way I acquired this small property. Finally, on this matter, I wish to confirm that there is no helicopter landing facility on the parcel in the Motion. This part is also false. I attach a copy of the agreement for the purchase of this property, marked annexure RG7. On the forty acres of land purchased in Kakuret within Kabiruini in Nyeri County, my response is that I confirm I own a property. I bought it in 2015 from Hon. Njoroge Wainaina, Member of Parliament for Kieni, who is present in this House. I am not sure he is present. That is a time when I was not a state officer. I had not even been elected as a Member of Parliament. I purchased the property ten years ago and not two. Additionally, it was not purchased during my tenure as Deputy President. Therefore, the allegation, as indicated in the Motion, is false. I have read through the Motion, and there is no iota of evidence adduced of any impropriety in the way I acquired this property. For the benefit of this august House and the general public, I have annexed, to this response, a copy of the Agreement for Sale and Purchase of this property, marked as Annexure RG 8. On the allegation of 80 acres of land in Meru County, for the record, I wish to confirm that I do not own such a piece of land. This allegation is false. However, in the spirit of full disclosure, I would like to confirm that I purchased 29 acres of land in Meru County, the land of my mother, which I bought on or around 9th February 2024, through a loan granted to me by Solution Sacco Limited, which I am a member. The said Sacco has a charge registered against the title which it continues to hold as security until I fully repay the loan. For the benefit of the august House and the general public, I have annexed to this response copies of the Agreement for Sale, marked RG 9. Further, there is a letter dated 15th July 2024 from Solution Sacco Limited, confirming that they financed the purchase of the property, marked Annexure RG 10. On the issue of a dairy farm in Nyandarua County, my response is that I do not own such a farm. Therefore, this allegation is false. The land in Nyandarua County has no single animal. There is also the issue of companies. The mover of the Motion has listed the 22 companies associated with me. Further, he has alleged that they have been used to massively launder money and conceal proceeds of crime, corruption and benefit from influence peddling. I have carefully gone through the Motion and have not seen any evidence to support or proof the allegations therein. It is not clear to me how to respond without any evidence incriminating the companies. I would like to be clear that these companies have not been involved in any illegal activities. I believe that is why the mover of the Motion has not tabled any evidence of impropriety with respect to the companies. It appears to me that the mover of the Motion was meticulous to get all the companies associated with me and my family. I believe that if he also had evidence of illegalities committed by the companies, he would have shared or tabled that for the record. However, it is not possible to get evidence of illegality where there is none. Having said the above, allow me just to mention a few companies because there are many. I incorporated Rigathi Gachagua Foundation in 2022. I would like to clarify that the foundation is a non-profit-making entity with the sole objective of uplifting the lives of the less privileged in society. Therefore, it does not trade. Further, Hon. Members, you are aware that by law, a foundation cannot be used to trade. Since incorporation, the foundation has received a total of Ksh12 million which has been utilised as per the Schedule marked Annexure RG 11. It shows payment of school fees for children in Pwani University and other universities across the country. I will also focus on Dorcas Rigathi Foundation because she is not here to defend herself. This is a foundation founded by my wife, Pastor Dorcas. It was incorporated immediately we came into office as a non-profit-making entity for the sole purpose of rehabilitation of drug addicts, widows, single mothers and orphans. A brief write-up of this foundation together with The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}