Post by Kamau Ngotho on Sept 23, 2006 4:27:33 GMT 3
My Personal Encounters with Githongo
The Leader
September 21, 2006
By Kamau Ngotho
Since John Githongo is now an international hero, I think it is quite in order that I associate with him by recalling my personal encounters with him. By associating with him, you never know, might earn me two minutes of fame here and abroad.
I have known John Githongo, since 1993. Until he was appointed Permanent Secretary in 2003, we used to meet alot, share a drink, go to the same gym and "gas politics" as he used to put it. at the time he was a fellow journalist, a kawaida man. On a bad day, either he or I would borrow a "kathau" from each other. At one time in 1998, we found ourselves stranded outside the Stanley Hotel after we had 'drank' all our money and none of us had a car that night.
But so as not to bore you with our escapades, when Githongo was a small man like me, i will recall four incidents which formed my personal impression of the man. The last one which involved his own attempt to cover up the Anglo-Leasing Scandal just before he bolted out of the country in March last year, i will come to that at the end.
Experience 1 - GITHONGO SEEKS JOB FAVOUR FOR A RELATIVE
The first encounter I want to talk about was in 1994. I was then the news editor with the then People Weekly and he was a senior writer with the deefunct Executive Magazine. Githongo telephoned me one day to say he had been to Zanzibar and interviewed the then Island's President Dr.Salim Amour. "Would I be interested in some aspects of the story which his boss did not want published in the magazine he worked for?" Definitely I was interested and told him as much. But Alas, when he came to see me he did not have the story. After giving me a funny excuse for not having the story, he quickly moved to another subject which I concluded was all he wanted in the first place. He told me he had a relative who he thought was a good photographer and asked if I could get him a job with "The People" newspaper. I managed to have the young man taken as an in-house correspondent. However Githongo never gave me the story. The incident somehow told me that he may not be a forthright man. He could just have told me he wanted a job for his relative without giving me false promises.
Experience 2 - THE BETRAYAL SIDE OF GITHONGO
The second incident occured in 2000. This time I was a senior writer with the Nation Media Group and he was the editor of a magazine called "The East African Alternative Series." The Magazine which has since folded up was published by the defunct Non Governmental Organization (NGO) called the Series on Alternative Research in East Africa Trust (SARIEAT). The NGO was owned by a well known Kenyan columnist in partnership with a former Zimbabwean cabinet minister, now an opposition politician in Harare, Mr. Jonathan Moyo. It was funded by the Ford Foundation.
Githongo called to say he "had a very hot story" I could write for "The Nation". When we met he gave me a dossier he had smuggled from secret files of the NGO he worked for. He told me though he worked with the NGO he was unhappy with the going ons at the place. He told me his bosses were involved in "Massive Theft" of donor funds. I went through the "hot dossier" and gave him my verdict. First, the matter could not be published as it was in court thus would be sub judice. Secondly, I doubted that "The Nation" would publish a dossier on one of their best known columnists at the time. He saw my point, shared a drink and left "with his explosive cargo" That second incident told me Githongo had a dangerous side to him. He could betray anybody. Here he was with files smuggled from the organization he worked for. Maybe it would have made sense if he was "betraying" his employers when he was not earning a salary from them.
Experience 3 - GITHONGO THE LIAR OR IS IT EXTORTIONIST?
The third encounter was to come in 2002, at the time Githongo was the Executive Director of Transparency International. Githongo telephoned me to say he was 'studying' the Goldenberg files and wanted him me to introduce him to a former Permanent Secretary who is well known to me and whose name appears in the list of Goldenberg Suspects.
I called the PS and secured an appointment for Githongo. But since he did not know Githongo he insisted I accompany Githongo to his office. At first Githongo insisted that we meet at a "neutral place" and not at the former Ps's office. The former PS and myself were not for the idea and insisted that the meeting though informal be at my friend's office. At the meeting I do not recall Githongo asking anything serious about Goldenberg except the usual things I had read in the newspaper. In fact the two ended up talking about how my friend knew Githongo's father whom they once worked with at the treasury department. As we left the office they exchanged contacts and promised to keep in touch. I forgot the matter until several weeks later when I casually asked my friend whether Githongo ever called for a follow up meeting. He told me they had talked on the phone severally and quickly ended the topic. I got abit curious and and called Githongo a few days later to ask him about my friend. He denied ever talking to the PS ever since the three of us met. I let the matter rest. Up to now I do not know why Githongo did not want me to know he met the PS several times after I introduced him.
Last Experience - GITHONGO'S ROLE IN ANGLO-LEASING COVER-UP.
This time I was a senior writer with the Standard, in January last year. One morning after recieved a tip from my friend who worked at Primarosa Flower Farm along Mombasa Road, owned by the Kamani Family. Two of the Kamani brothers and sister have severally been mentioned as suspects in the Anglo-Leasing scam. The consultant mentioned in the scandal, Dr. Merlyn Kettering was an employee of the Kamani's. At the time my source called, the Kamani's and Kettering were said to be out of the country and the Kenyan Anti-Corruption Authority (KACA) unable to locate them. The Source however told me the Kamani brothers and Kettering had all along been in the country and holed up at the farm.
My source drew me a sketch of the farm indicating the house where the three of them were hiding. He even went ahead to give names of government officials who were visiting the three at the farm. I discussed the story with my editor and we agreed it was hot stuff to go to town with. My source helped us by directing us to a vantage position from where we took photographs of the houses the Anglo-Leasing musketeers were hiding.
I penned the story and handed it to my editor. On the week we were to publish the story, Githongo had told the press for the umpteenth time that investigations on the Anglo-Leasing Scandal had stalled because the Kamani Brothers and Kettering had bolted out of the country. On the day we were to carry the story, my editor and I telephoned Githongo, just to tell him the three men were actually holed up in Athi River. Githongo swore to the high heavens that we were dead wrong and that Kettering was actually in the United States attending a conference on the Mormons and Kamani's whereabouts were unknown. He insisted we should not carry the story as it would embarass our newspaper. My editors fell for his story. That amazed me as I was absolutely sure the story was correct.
I still dont understand why Githongo was so insistent "we kill the story."
A curious footnote is that the following day, Kamani's farm manager called an emergency workers meeting and threatened dire consequences for anybody found discussing anything about the farm with journalists or strangers. Two weeks later my source told me Kettering had left the farm and that the Kamani's had gone holidaying to an uknown destination.
The last note is that Githongo never again picked my telephone calls. Two months later he bolted to London. I wish I had his London contact to call him and joke about the past now that he is back to being a "kawaida" person like me.
The Leader
September 21, 2006
By Kamau Ngotho
Since John Githongo is now an international hero, I think it is quite in order that I associate with him by recalling my personal encounters with him. By associating with him, you never know, might earn me two minutes of fame here and abroad.
I have known John Githongo, since 1993. Until he was appointed Permanent Secretary in 2003, we used to meet alot, share a drink, go to the same gym and "gas politics" as he used to put it. at the time he was a fellow journalist, a kawaida man. On a bad day, either he or I would borrow a "kathau" from each other. At one time in 1998, we found ourselves stranded outside the Stanley Hotel after we had 'drank' all our money and none of us had a car that night.
But so as not to bore you with our escapades, when Githongo was a small man like me, i will recall four incidents which formed my personal impression of the man. The last one which involved his own attempt to cover up the Anglo-Leasing Scandal just before he bolted out of the country in March last year, i will come to that at the end.
Experience 1 - GITHONGO SEEKS JOB FAVOUR FOR A RELATIVE
The first encounter I want to talk about was in 1994. I was then the news editor with the then People Weekly and he was a senior writer with the deefunct Executive Magazine. Githongo telephoned me one day to say he had been to Zanzibar and interviewed the then Island's President Dr.Salim Amour. "Would I be interested in some aspects of the story which his boss did not want published in the magazine he worked for?" Definitely I was interested and told him as much. But Alas, when he came to see me he did not have the story. After giving me a funny excuse for not having the story, he quickly moved to another subject which I concluded was all he wanted in the first place. He told me he had a relative who he thought was a good photographer and asked if I could get him a job with "The People" newspaper. I managed to have the young man taken as an in-house correspondent. However Githongo never gave me the story. The incident somehow told me that he may not be a forthright man. He could just have told me he wanted a job for his relative without giving me false promises.
Experience 2 - THE BETRAYAL SIDE OF GITHONGO
The second incident occured in 2000. This time I was a senior writer with the Nation Media Group and he was the editor of a magazine called "The East African Alternative Series." The Magazine which has since folded up was published by the defunct Non Governmental Organization (NGO) called the Series on Alternative Research in East Africa Trust (SARIEAT). The NGO was owned by a well known Kenyan columnist in partnership with a former Zimbabwean cabinet minister, now an opposition politician in Harare, Mr. Jonathan Moyo. It was funded by the Ford Foundation.
Githongo called to say he "had a very hot story" I could write for "The Nation". When we met he gave me a dossier he had smuggled from secret files of the NGO he worked for. He told me though he worked with the NGO he was unhappy with the going ons at the place. He told me his bosses were involved in "Massive Theft" of donor funds. I went through the "hot dossier" and gave him my verdict. First, the matter could not be published as it was in court thus would be sub judice. Secondly, I doubted that "The Nation" would publish a dossier on one of their best known columnists at the time. He saw my point, shared a drink and left "with his explosive cargo" That second incident told me Githongo had a dangerous side to him. He could betray anybody. Here he was with files smuggled from the organization he worked for. Maybe it would have made sense if he was "betraying" his employers when he was not earning a salary from them.
Experience 3 - GITHONGO THE LIAR OR IS IT EXTORTIONIST?
The third encounter was to come in 2002, at the time Githongo was the Executive Director of Transparency International. Githongo telephoned me to say he was 'studying' the Goldenberg files and wanted him me to introduce him to a former Permanent Secretary who is well known to me and whose name appears in the list of Goldenberg Suspects.
I called the PS and secured an appointment for Githongo. But since he did not know Githongo he insisted I accompany Githongo to his office. At first Githongo insisted that we meet at a "neutral place" and not at the former Ps's office. The former PS and myself were not for the idea and insisted that the meeting though informal be at my friend's office. At the meeting I do not recall Githongo asking anything serious about Goldenberg except the usual things I had read in the newspaper. In fact the two ended up talking about how my friend knew Githongo's father whom they once worked with at the treasury department. As we left the office they exchanged contacts and promised to keep in touch. I forgot the matter until several weeks later when I casually asked my friend whether Githongo ever called for a follow up meeting. He told me they had talked on the phone severally and quickly ended the topic. I got abit curious and and called Githongo a few days later to ask him about my friend. He denied ever talking to the PS ever since the three of us met. I let the matter rest. Up to now I do not know why Githongo did not want me to know he met the PS several times after I introduced him.
Last Experience - GITHONGO'S ROLE IN ANGLO-LEASING COVER-UP.
This time I was a senior writer with the Standard, in January last year. One morning after recieved a tip from my friend who worked at Primarosa Flower Farm along Mombasa Road, owned by the Kamani Family. Two of the Kamani brothers and sister have severally been mentioned as suspects in the Anglo-Leasing scam. The consultant mentioned in the scandal, Dr. Merlyn Kettering was an employee of the Kamani's. At the time my source called, the Kamani's and Kettering were said to be out of the country and the Kenyan Anti-Corruption Authority (KACA) unable to locate them. The Source however told me the Kamani brothers and Kettering had all along been in the country and holed up at the farm.
My source drew me a sketch of the farm indicating the house where the three of them were hiding. He even went ahead to give names of government officials who were visiting the three at the farm. I discussed the story with my editor and we agreed it was hot stuff to go to town with. My source helped us by directing us to a vantage position from where we took photographs of the houses the Anglo-Leasing musketeers were hiding.
I penned the story and handed it to my editor. On the week we were to publish the story, Githongo had told the press for the umpteenth time that investigations on the Anglo-Leasing Scandal had stalled because the Kamani Brothers and Kettering had bolted out of the country. On the day we were to carry the story, my editor and I telephoned Githongo, just to tell him the three men were actually holed up in Athi River. Githongo swore to the high heavens that we were dead wrong and that Kettering was actually in the United States attending a conference on the Mormons and Kamani's whereabouts were unknown. He insisted we should not carry the story as it would embarass our newspaper. My editors fell for his story. That amazed me as I was absolutely sure the story was correct.
I still dont understand why Githongo was so insistent "we kill the story."
A curious footnote is that the following day, Kamani's farm manager called an emergency workers meeting and threatened dire consequences for anybody found discussing anything about the farm with journalists or strangers. Two weeks later my source told me Kettering had left the farm and that the Kamani's had gone holidaying to an uknown destination.
The last note is that Githongo never again picked my telephone calls. Two months later he bolted to London. I wish I had his London contact to call him and joke about the past now that he is back to being a "kawaida" person like me.