SIX THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT DAVID MWIRARIA

Here are some things to know about the man who was at the helm of the finance docket during President Mwai Kibaki’s Narc regime;

1. He was facing Angloleasing charges
Mr Mwiraria was among those charged in the Sh3.8 billion Ango Leasing scandal case. He was facing corruption charges with nine others among them former provincial administration Permanent Secretary Dave Mwangi.

He once said that he signed blank documents that were later typed in and used in the scandal.

2. He was banned from traveling to the UK
In December 2007, Mr Mwiraria and three others among them former minister Nicholas Biwott were banned from travelling to the United Kingdom.

The travel ban was issued over the corruption allegations facing the four.

3. He was on the spot over the Wagalla Massacre
Mr Mwiraria was a member of the Kenya Intelligence Committee (KIC) which had visited Wajir a day before the Wagalla massacre.

The Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission (TJRC) recommended that all KIC members be investigated further by the Director of Public Prosecutions to determine criminal culpability if any.

It also recommended that they should not hold any public office.

4. He questioned the ability of Nema to determine GMOs
While he was Minister for Environment in November 2007, Mr Mwiraria questioned the ability of National Environment Management Authority (Nema) to identify genetically modified foods and determine whether they should be released to the market.

This slowed down the enactment of a biosafety legislation that MPs had called for.

5. He resigned as minister and was reappointed
Mr Mwiraria resigned in February 2006 after being adversely mentioned in connection to the Anglo Leasing scandal.

He was however appointed in 2007 by President Mwai Kibaki, making a rareb comeback to the cabinet.

6. He once threatened to cut budgetary allocations to ministries to deal with famine
As Finance minister in January 2006, Mr Mwiraria threatened to cut funding to ministries to cover the costs of drought.

The announcement was not welcomed by his cabinet colleagues, including the then Health Minister Charity Ngilu, who said her ministry needed more allocation to deal with patients seeking treatment as a result of the drought.

Former finance minister David Mwiraria on Thursday succumbed to cancer while receiving treatment at Karen Hospital.