Kenya presidential hopeful wants Zimbabwe’s cooperation to return ill-gotten wealth

By Staff Reporter

AUTHORITIES in Zimbabwe have been urged to search high-and-low for ill-gotten wealth, including cash, of Kenyan origin stashed locally and facilitate immediate repatriation to the East African country.

First-time Agano Party presidential candidate, David Mwaure, has written to 15 countries as well as the United Nations requesting the return of billions of Kenya shillings deposited in offshore accounts by politicians.

In his letters to the United States, United Kingdom, China, Russia, United Arab Emirates, Mauritius, Seychelles, Jordan, Taiwan, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe, Mwaure pleaded with the countries to help Kenya repatriate all the stolen cash, stating that it was one of the reasons the country’s economy was ailing.

The letters, copied to the Secretary General of the United Nations, the Agano presidential candidate is pleading for a multinational investigation into the matter.

According to Mwaure, corruption has been the genesis of Kenya’s tribulations and has led to high unemployment rates, high cost of living, ballooning public wage bill and foreign debt.

“The nation and people of Kenya are currently undergoing a lot of economic suffering ranging from the high cost of living, high cost of essential foodstuffs and debt,” the letter read in part.

“It is common knowledge that a lot of development funds and wealth illegally obtained in Kenya has been stashed abroad in both official and unofficial tax havens.”

He urged the named countries and the United Nations to return any money that may be hidden there, further stating that investigations will be extended to other countries.

The debate on money stashed abroad gained traction in 2021 when an investigative piece dubbed “The Pandora Papers” accused the Kenyatta family of stashing billions in tax havens.

Mwaure is seeking to be Kenya’s fifth president alongside running mate Ruth Mucheru.

The duo has been campaigning on platform to eliminate corruption in the country, claiming that the current lot of politicians have failed to deal with the issue.

Mwaure has since presented himself as the perfect solution to challenges facing Kenya.

“Ruth Mucheru like myself is concerned about the runaway corruption in Kenya, the poverty 59 years after independence, the high cost of living, the bad leadership that comes in every election and the never ending bureaucracy and impunity,” Mwaure stated while unveiling his running mate recently.

He is a debutant in Kenya politics and is banking on his academic credentials and years of experience to offer lasting solutions to the country.

An evangelist, Mwaure has also drawn attention in his apparent disapproval of Roots Party presidential candidate, George Wajackoyah, over his call to legalise dagga or cannabis farming in the country.