Michael Mundia Kamau
P.O. Box 58972
00200 City Square
Nairobi
Kenya

13th June 2004

                           KENYAN ROULETTE

Kenyan media reports that the Anglo Leasing trading company has been
paid an extra US $ 2.775 million for a cancelled Criminal Investigations
Department project, and is slated to be paid a balance of US $ 5.8 million for the
same dubious project as provided for in the 2004/2005 Fiscal budget, are a
worrying sign of deeply embedded high level corruption in the NARC
government. This reports are emerging just after the suspension of the
dubious US $ 33.75 million Kenyan passport scam linked to Anglo
Leasing.

The revelation pours scorn on President Mwai Kibaki’s stern message of
1stJune 2004 reminding us that his government would not condone corruption
at all. President Mwai Kibaki should demonstrate his seriousness about
fighting corruption by taking immediate action on the matter. Never in the
history of this country has a dubious item of this nature been sneaked into a
Fiscal budget, and one wonders what excuse Finance Minister David Mwiraria
will plead this time.

The revelations of Anglo Leasing’s dubious dealings are being made hand
in hand with the equally shocking revelation that an amount of US $ 12.5
million has been dubiously allocated for the construction of a
vice-president’s official residence. Had the Minister of Roads and
Public  Works not been so enthusiastic about demolishing palatial residences
built on his bypasses and corridors earlier this year, one would have been
been acquired by state decree as an official residence of the Kenyan vice
president and another would have allocated to the family of the late
departed vice president through a similar decree. Even then the amount
of US $ 12.5 million is outrageous and unjustifiable by any standard. All the
nation’s State Houses and State Lodges put together, do not even cost
half of US $ 12.5 million.

Arising out of NARC’s latest misdeeds will follow the traditional drab
week long condemnations from the country’s leaders, clergy, media and
lobbies, all full of emptiness. Years of Moi’s misrule will also definitely be
invoked as an excuse, as the public continues to suffer under inept
leadership. It was joked that former American President George Bush
would make calls for an Operation Desert Storm victory parade whenever his
popularity ratings plummeted. In Kenya, the entire leadership spectrum
has taken to blaming Moi and his years of misrule whenever confronted with
matters of glaring misdeed such as those linked to the Anglo Leasing
trading company. This is no laughing matter and is reflective of nation that is
totally ill-equipped and totally ill-prepared for transition and
change.
What is for sure is that this country is falling apart.

President Mwai Kibaki continues to maintain a deafening silence on this
and other serious matters. Swift action was taken against judges accused of
corruption last year, but no similar action in other areas has been
forthcoming since. He and his government have become the subject of
scorn and ridicule and his credibility has been dealt a severe blow.
President Kibaki is still hopelessly adopting a regal approach to governance as
his government and the entire nation falls apart. Apart from the Anglo
Leasing company scam, members of his cabinet and party have adopted opposing
views on the sensitive matter of sugar importation and it’s impact on the
local sugar industry. The crumbling and punishing effect is being felt by
farmers and consumers as government organs continue to condone
institutionalised corruption. The Minister of Energy has silently hiked levies on refined
petroleum products which has already resulted in the pump price
increase of the same. The depressed economy by extension is therefore about to
experience further inflation and further recession. Even prior to this
the cost of basic foodstuffs has been steadily rising. The International
Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has just suspended Kenya
from international soccer events after a disagreement between it and the
Kenyan sports minister. Soon thereafter officials of the Kenya Football
Federation (KFF) were arrested in connection with corruption as players and
officials suffer and as endemic corruption in Kenyan sport as a whole, remains
unresolved. Sports kiting meant for Kenyan national teams continues to
be sold on the streets, and it is curious that the sports minister was not
as enthusiastic in addressing this as well. In principle, KFF officials
should have been arrested at the same time as representatives of the Anglo
Leasing company. It is unbelievable that the individuals behind all these, are
the same individuals who spared no effort to portray Moi as the devil
incarnate.

Moi’s government would have taken a lot of action by now.
President Kibaki’s continued silence and continued inaction is in
extremely poor taste. He and his government have lost credibility before they
have even built it. No statement coming from he and his government can
henceforth be taken seriously unless and until action is taken against lawbreakers
in and outside his government. No statement coming from he and his
government can henceforth be taken seriously unless and until actions geared at
safeguarding the interests of the common man in Kenya are enacted.
Unscrupulous and criminal multi million dollar scams involving tax
payers money are not part of this enactment.



Michael Mundia Kamau