Hassan Ali Joho, the Cabinet Secretary (CS) nominee for Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs, has dismissed allegations that he gained prominence and amassed wealth through drug trade.
During his vetting before the Committee on Appointments on Sunday, Joho clarified that he was implicated in drug trafficking scandals in 2010 in a report presented to Parliament. He explained that he was later cleared after an extensive investigation.
The report, issued by the US Embassy and cited in the House by then Internal Security Minister George Saitoti, listed Joho and other suspects as drug traffickers operating in Kenya.
“The late Saitoti came back to Parliament and tabled a report on the investigation and the outcome and it was a multi-agency international investigation that clearly stated that no iota of evidence was found against me,” said Joho.
The ex-Mombasa Governor further told the committee that his wealth has been accrued through undertaking clean and legitimate business, adding that the matter should finally be put to rest.
“I am not a fool, I come from a family that is blessed with businesses,” he said.
“I do clean business, visible, that can be audited, physical and so if anyone speaks of the report that was tabled on the dossier also talk about the report that came after that that cleared us.”
Joho further sought to clear the air on sectors his family is operating in, denying claims that they are exploring the jewellery business.
“My family is not in [the] jewelry business. We are in logistics, real estate and trading. Let me ascertain that we are in service industry. My family has never worked with government and we assure you that we will not work with government.”
