Kenya’s Finance minister quits over hotel saga
By DAVE OPIYOLast updated: 2 hours ago
Kenya’s Finance Minister Amos Kimunya has quit over the controversial sale of a luxury hotel at the centre of Nairobi.

Mr Kimunya called a Press conference and issued a brief statement, saying: “I have requested President Kibaki to be allowed to step aside to facilitate an inquiry into this matter.”

At the same time, police have beat up and arrested a group of activists who were meeting to plan protests against Mr Kimunya’s handling of the Grand Regency sale.

Mr Kimunya said his conscience was clean that he well managed the sale of the hotel.

“I’ve held several consultations with President Kibaki, my family, friends and colleagues on Grand Regency. My conscience is very clean on the role of the Treasury and specifically myself on this matter. I am open to an independent inquiry to prove my innocence,” he told reporters.

Earlier, police stormed a Nairobi restaurant and arrested a number of civil society activists who were planning demonstrations against Mr Kimunya over the sale.

The group, meeting under the aegis of Name and Shame Coalition Against Corruption, had gathered at the city’s Garden Square restaurant adjacent to the Kenyatta International Conference Centre when riot and regular police in full gear stormed the venue.

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Date: Tue, 8 Jul 2008 15:58:48 +0000
From: Nicholas Mireri
Subject: Kimunya finally resigns !!!!!!!!