Trade Cabinet secretary nominee Lee Kinyanjui faced tough questioning during his vetting at the National Assembly on Tuesday, January 14, as allegations surfaced about his alleged mistreatment of street children during his tenure as Nakuru governor. Trade CS nominee Lee Kinyanjui at a past funeral service in Nakuru. The controversy centred on claims that Kinyanjui, 49, relocated street children and families to Embobut Forest—a location reportedly infested with wild animals—to beautify Nakuru ahead of its elevation to city status. Speaker Moses Wetang’ula clarified the issue raised by an MP during the vetting, stating: “It was alleged that in an attempt to make Nakuru attractive and make it a city, you picked street children and street families and dumped them in Embobut Forest, which was said to be infested with hyenas and other wild animals. It was alleged that some were never found.”
Kinyanjui, visibly agitated, struggled to maintain his composure and accused his political opponents of fabricating the allegations. He dismissed the claims as baseless, calling them a work of fiction. “I have my conscience right, and I can never do that,” Kinyanjui said. “This country has the best intelligence services. If such an incident occurred, we would have had at least one name. Let us respect the institutions we serve. Allegations driven by political motives should not be used to discredit someone’s integrity.” Kinyanjui further criticised the leaders, arguing that unverified claims from political adversaries should not be treated as evidence.
“The opportunity to serve in those institutions should not be personalised. I was there throughout that period. How come those people are only known by politicians? Which family has ever come out? In short, that is an act of fiction,” Kinyanjui added. The former Nakuru governor is perceived to be an ally of former President Uhuru Kenyatta. His nomination by President William Ruto during a December 2024 Cabinet reshuffle comes as Salim Mvurya, who headed the ministry was moved to the Sports docket. If approved, Kinyanjui who also disclosed his net worth as KSh 471 million, will take over the Trade Ministry in a pivotal role in the country’s economic agenda.
by Nancy Odindo
