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Cooperatives Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya has said he is ready to face his accusers in light of a recent High Court decision to nullify the withdrawal of a graft case against him.
However, Oparanya alleged the revival of the case was part of a political witch-hunt by his critics out to weaken his political influence in Kakamega County.
On September 16, the High Court quashed the Director of Public Prosecutions' (DPP) decision to withdraw the graft case against Oparanya, terming it unconstitutional.
The case stems from his tenure as the governor in Kakamega, where he was accused of abuse of office, conflict of interest, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit corruption.
According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the county awarded contracts worth Sh56.7 million to companies associated with Oparanya and his cronies.
In July 2024, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) withdrew the charges against Oparanya following his nomination by President William Ruto to join the cabinet.
In the letter, the DPP claimed it had received new evidence from Oparanya's lawyer that led to its recommendation to withdraw the charges.
However, an activist, Fredrick Mulaa, challenged the DPP's decision, terming it "whimsical" and aimed at sanitising the cabinet secretary ahead of his appointment to the cabinet.
On Tuesday, High Court judge Justice Benjamin Musyoki of Milimani Law Courts nullified the DPP's letter, terming it illegal, unconstitutional, opaque, and contrary to public interests.
On Friday, Oparanya broke his silence on the matter, saying he was ready to clear his name through the court process.
Speaking at the home of Lurambi MP Bishop Tutius Khamala, the CS defended his tenure as Kakamega Governor between 2013 and 2022, dismissing the renewed scrutiny as a politically-motivated witch hunt aimed at weakening his influence in the county.
“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,” Oparanya declared.
He urged critics to focus on his legacy rather than unproven allegations.
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