From: joachim omolo ouko
News Dispatch with Father Omolo Beste
SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2014
Joshua from Nairobi writes: “Fr Beste you said categorically in one of your recent articles that President Uhuru will have to pay Anglo Leasing whether Kenyans like it or not, and it has just come true. Kenyans cry is just like the cry of frogs which cannot prevent cows from drinking water in a river.
Now he is saying that he is taking the issue back to anti-corruption team to start a fresh investigation and people responsible will be charged. Do you think Uhuru does not know people responsible of the scam surely?”
Absolutely, President Uhuru knows people responsible Joshua. You have rightly put it, telling him not to pay is just like telling cows not to drink water from the river because of the noise of frogs. Joshua, president is a president and can dictate anything. Furthermore, which court will you take him?
On 20 September 2006, the former Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs Ms Martha Karua released what she termed as the Anglo Leasing list of shame. President Kibaki could not act on the list because it included names of two ministers and close ally in his Narc government.
President Kiaki could also not act on the list because they included eight former ministers both in former President Moi’s government (Kanu) and his government. Prominent and untouchable people mentioned in the list included Vice-President and Minister for Home Affairs Moddy Awori and Minister for Roads Simeon Nyachae.
The former ministers in the Kanu government mentioned were Musila Mudavadi, William Ruto, who is currently the Deputy President, Chris Okem, Julius Sunkuli, Chris Obure and William ole Ntimama. Those in the Narc government were David Mwiraria and Dr. Chris Murungaru.
The permanent secretaries mentioned in the list included Sylvester Mwaliko, Sammy Kyungu, David Mwangi, Joseph Magari, Ali Korane, Margaret Chmengich, Zakayo Cheruiyot, Mwaghazi Mwachofi, Simeon Lesirma, Moses Obudo and S. K. Bondotich (financial secretary).
Anglo Leasing corruption scandal involves a total of 20 shady government contracts. Anglo leasing scam began during Moi’s era and continued during Kibaki’s rule. Ministers named in the scandal exonerate themselves claiming that they were not guilty because they did not sign the contracts.
Even though under the legal perspective, the issue of guilt is a matter of interpretation by the court, Kibaki could not order the arrest of the ministers named to be proven guilty or not guilty as required by law.
That is why the threats by opposition coalition Cord that they plan to name the Kenyans behind the Anglo Leasing companies and who stand to benefit from the Sh1.4 billion that Uhuru has paid out is absolutely a waste of time.
According to Cord, four powerful businessmen are among the key figures involved. Some were major donors to the Jubilee campaign. Businessman Deepak Kamani, who still lives in Nairobi, was one architect of Anglo Leasing but has publicly boasted that he is untouchable because of his high level contacts. President Kibaki could not touch him either.
Although Aruna Pereira, a Sri Lankan businessman, is mentioned to be behind First Mercantile, he cannot be touched because he is working closely with another Kenyan businessman linked to Ruto’s party, URP. Cord had planned to table the list of names in the National Assembly on Wednesday afternoon until government withdrew its motion asking MPs to approve the controversial payments.
On Wednesday many Jubilee MPs walked out on Treasury Secretary Henry Rotich after he failed to name the beneficiaries of the payments. Jubilee MPs, mainly from the Mount Kenya wing rather than the Rift Valley wing, were in open rebellion because they feared that they could become unelectable if they approve payments to Anglo-Leasing.
Uhuru Kenyatta himself is fully aware of the deal since he chaired the Public Accounts Committee in 2005 that recommended that all payments to Anglo-Leasing should be cancelled or suspended. This could be one of the reasons why the MPs feared that Cord could exploit this apparent hypocrisy to destroy Jubilee and TNA.
Cord claimed they had obtained the names of the Kenyans behind Anglo Leasing and I would name and shame them when the report was tabled again. To avoid this happen Jubilee MPs were to discard debate in parliament.
According to Cord, the beneficiaries of these millions are here in Kenya but they are using foreign figureheads to push for these payments. It means that it is another way of corruption and not what Rotich told the National Assembly that British and Swiss courts have ordered the government to pay Sh1.6 billion to First Mercantile Securities which agreed to forego Sh204m, in interest, making a final amount payable of Sh1.4 billion.
Although Cord MPs have vowed to shoot down any attempts to pay the Swiss company, as I have said present is above the law and can dictate what he wishes is right according to him. That is why, whether to pay Anglo-Leasing is to reward impunity it did not matter to him.
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail obolobeste@gmail.com
Omolo_ouko@outlook.com
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