Post by AVEDI on Jan 26, 2006 23:19:42 GMT 3
Kibaki must cleanse cabinet
THE release of the John Githongo dossier which implicates some of Kibaki’s close and loyal Cabinet Ministers, in the Anglo-Leasing scandal, and its eventual partial disclosure to the public, through the media, is indeed a significant, but not surprising event to many.
Very keen observers will recall that during the referendum campaigns, the Anglo-Leasing matter was prominently featured and presented to the public, very craftily by Prof. Anyang’’ Nyong’o on behalf of the ODM’s Orange team. Public reaction to those graft claims, was definitely a factor, in the overall results of that very referendum that Kibaki’s government heavily lost.
Donor pressure for specific action against cabinet Ministers involved in the Anglo-Leasing scam, has never ceased. The pressure seems to keep mounting and is expected to build further.
It is also obvious that within Kibaki’s recently reconstituted cabinet, there has been some disquiet, from a few integrity-conscious ministers, who believe that President Kibaki may be an innocent victim who has ended up discredited, through the greed and incompetence of his own preferred loyalists, whom he entrusted with enormous responsibility.
This group, may be feeling that time is now ripe for Kibaki to let go of such self-centred political liabilities, who have cared little about the President’s overall political fortunes, but rather more about their own personal fortunes and power, even if their actions amount to alienation of the President from the people.
The die may have been cast already, and the battle for the realignment and control of Kenya’s political realm, may be currently in progress.
Should we as a matter of fact, expect a dramatic change in the internal composition of President Kibaki’s kitchen cabinet altogether?
There may have already been some change in progress, as exemplified by the simple act, Chris Murungaru-Out, Mutahi Kagwe-In. It is possible to expect more Outs and Ins.
One thing is clear, the government has so far lost on its promise to deliver a people-based constitution. It seems to be losing on the war against corruption, unless something dramatic happens with regard to this Anglo-Leasing scandal.
Yet Kibaki’s team has embarked on some huge projects of immense magnitude, with enormous financial ramifications. Kibaki may now be in need of a clean team comprising of members with unquestionable integrity, at this time more than ever before, just to redeem their face for the moment.
Plainly, Kibaki’s team may be focusing more on matters not going beyond 2007, unless miracles happen. They could be focusing on matters such as restructuring the new Public Procurement Process, overseeing (or is it becoming-part-of) the privatisation process of public corporations earmarked for sale, encouraging Foreign Direct Investments and partnerships (with some of them seeking involvement), attracting more developmental aid in infrastructure and such programmes.
The success of all these, still depends a lot, on public and donor goodwill, with regard to willingness to curb graft.
Will Kibaki act and sacrifice his loyalists for the greater goodwill of the nation? Time will tell.
Kenyans on the other hand, will collectively act when they get a chance to go to the ballot again. They will safely identify with the more credible or less-corrupt team, period. If Kibaki may not want an immediate write-off, he may seize this opportunity and relieve himself of tainted liabilities with regard to the Anglo-Leasing matter once and for all.
What is Kibaki’s government currently being faulted for? A myriad issues; “Anglo-fleecing” the public, wastage of public funds in luxuries for ministers, poor management of famine, inefficiency and gross incompetence, tribalism, promoting the culture of sycophancy, unsolved political assassinations, failure to respect democracy and the rule of law, discrimination of significant portions of the country, alienating entire ethnic groups from governance, while stuffing it with many people from same regions, and promoting the doctrine of dominance over others while consolidating power (remember the botched Katiba debacle).
That is indeed a long list not expected from a government elected on a reformist, populist and nationalistic platform.
Has the bad performance been the Kibaki doctrine of governance, or is it purely the fault of his kitchen cabinet? It occurs and appears that both factors account for the current state of affairs, otherwise how else could one explain the repeated and quite unfortunate “ wao ni pumbavu” statement.
Kibaki himself needs to boldly address now, with public sensitivity, the pertinent issue at hand, without further delegating any responsibilities to Justice Aaron Ringera at the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission; which might just then be a time buying gesture if at all he does that.
Justice Ringera has since assuming office, fed the public with the same platitudes of nuance value using a single word, “investigations”, despite having had all the; time, mechanisms, public goodwill, and resources in place to initiate prosecution on graft.
Ringera needs to go ahead and prosecute the culprits even if he fails, he will not be blamed but the public will scrutinise the reason(s) for failing and re-focus on it (them). Unless of course, if there is a reason more than known to the public as to why Ringera can’t act, then the taxpayers from who he’s drawing such a handsome salary, have a right to be angered. Kenyans want value for their money.
Kibaki on the other hand, has to do the prudent political job of doing unto Mwiraria, Murungi, Awori and Kimunya, what he did to Murungaru, so as to pave way for KACC’s, never-ending investigations. No love can be lost on most Kenyans who have suffered one way or another under the cruel hand of corruption.
A few interesting things about some of Kibaki’s loyalists.
It is to be noted that under the slogan “Zero tolerance to corruption”, Finance Minister David Mwiraria, unilaterally fired all Supplies Officers across the nation and centralised the procurement of supplies at Treasury.
He replaced them with a team of 36 Senior Procurement Officers, of which 23 out of 36 appointees as expected, hailed from the slopes of Mt. Kenya. The rest of Kenya shared out 13.
It is public knowledge that the centralised procurement process is also an important vehicle for corruption in itself. Without accusing anyone, the process now effectively rests in the hands of David Mwiraria, notwithstanding the new Public Procurement laws.
This whole public supplies and contract business has been “revolutionised” under Mwiraria, in the sense that it has not only lost any semblance of competitive bidding, but assumed a tribalised single-sourcing dimension, which is patronised from the Treasury corridors.
Small rural suppliers are being driven out of business, non-GEMA suppliers are being shut out of business, and even within the GEMA community, rather than have several mid-sized suppliers getting contracts, it is now just few large suppliers dominating all sectors of supplies, period. The. President, will be doing a great service to Kenyans if he replaceded Mwiraria.
Curiously, it is also under Mwiraria’s tenure that an unspecified “Miscellaneous Accounts” holding hundreds of millions of shillings was set up mysteriously and of course secretly. What does he have to say? “Sina la kusema!”
Under the same period, this Anglo-Leasing business has thrived, siphoning off taxpayer money, with some being refunded into the Exchequer from unspecified “ghosts” upon public revelation.
Some Ministers have realised that they are becoming multi-billionaires at a rate faster than they can handle. They have become more nervous and suspicious of people outside their circle. Even brothers, sisters and cousins are being shunned and isolated out of fear.
Keen political opportunists have availed their political “dirty” services for hire, to help shield the perpetrators, in exchange for a share of the largesse. The actual perpetrators don’t even seem to know how to handle themselves, sometimes falling prey to political blackmail and arm-twisting by the same hirelings, they pay.
Kenyans are aware of those falling on each other, in amazement and stupor from riches, others in fights for enjoyment of proximity to the source of quick wealth.
Others want the quick exit of the Murungaru-Murungi Cartel in exchange for other Mafiosa.
About Kiraitu Murungi; referring to Anglo-Leasing as the scandal that never was, is enough reason not to remain in office. Murungi, he of the “a woman that already too willing to be raped” fame, has simply been Kibaki’s leading goal scorer, in his own goal. From Bomas, to the PSC on Constitution, to Parliament, to the Judicial surgery, to Judiciary appointments, CKRC, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Civic society, Referendum campaigns and all, he has literally had Kenyans shake their heads in all corners of the country. Simply he seems to be the biggest political liability Mr.Kibaki has and he can continue to retain him at his own peril.
Well, Kenyans owning land and landless squatters alike, may have little lost if Amos Kimunya is fired.
People who see title deeds not merely as pieces of paper, and who may hope for more humane treatment of future land evictees, may have every reason to celebrate if Kimunya is replacemed even from within.
MORGAN AVEDI
Baltimore - US
THE release of the John Githongo dossier which implicates some of Kibaki’s close and loyal Cabinet Ministers, in the Anglo-Leasing scandal, and its eventual partial disclosure to the public, through the media, is indeed a significant, but not surprising event to many.
Very keen observers will recall that during the referendum campaigns, the Anglo-Leasing matter was prominently featured and presented to the public, very craftily by Prof. Anyang’’ Nyong’o on behalf of the ODM’s Orange team. Public reaction to those graft claims, was definitely a factor, in the overall results of that very referendum that Kibaki’s government heavily lost.
Donor pressure for specific action against cabinet Ministers involved in the Anglo-Leasing scam, has never ceased. The pressure seems to keep mounting and is expected to build further.
It is also obvious that within Kibaki’s recently reconstituted cabinet, there has been some disquiet, from a few integrity-conscious ministers, who believe that President Kibaki may be an innocent victim who has ended up discredited, through the greed and incompetence of his own preferred loyalists, whom he entrusted with enormous responsibility.
This group, may be feeling that time is now ripe for Kibaki to let go of such self-centred political liabilities, who have cared little about the President’s overall political fortunes, but rather more about their own personal fortunes and power, even if their actions amount to alienation of the President from the people.
The die may have been cast already, and the battle for the realignment and control of Kenya’s political realm, may be currently in progress.
Should we as a matter of fact, expect a dramatic change in the internal composition of President Kibaki’s kitchen cabinet altogether?
There may have already been some change in progress, as exemplified by the simple act, Chris Murungaru-Out, Mutahi Kagwe-In. It is possible to expect more Outs and Ins.
One thing is clear, the government has so far lost on its promise to deliver a people-based constitution. It seems to be losing on the war against corruption, unless something dramatic happens with regard to this Anglo-Leasing scandal.
Yet Kibaki’s team has embarked on some huge projects of immense magnitude, with enormous financial ramifications. Kibaki may now be in need of a clean team comprising of members with unquestionable integrity, at this time more than ever before, just to redeem their face for the moment.
Plainly, Kibaki’s team may be focusing more on matters not going beyond 2007, unless miracles happen. They could be focusing on matters such as restructuring the new Public Procurement Process, overseeing (or is it becoming-part-of) the privatisation process of public corporations earmarked for sale, encouraging Foreign Direct Investments and partnerships (with some of them seeking involvement), attracting more developmental aid in infrastructure and such programmes.
The success of all these, still depends a lot, on public and donor goodwill, with regard to willingness to curb graft.
Will Kibaki act and sacrifice his loyalists for the greater goodwill of the nation? Time will tell.
Kenyans on the other hand, will collectively act when they get a chance to go to the ballot again. They will safely identify with the more credible or less-corrupt team, period. If Kibaki may not want an immediate write-off, he may seize this opportunity and relieve himself of tainted liabilities with regard to the Anglo-Leasing matter once and for all.
What is Kibaki’s government currently being faulted for? A myriad issues; “Anglo-fleecing” the public, wastage of public funds in luxuries for ministers, poor management of famine, inefficiency and gross incompetence, tribalism, promoting the culture of sycophancy, unsolved political assassinations, failure to respect democracy and the rule of law, discrimination of significant portions of the country, alienating entire ethnic groups from governance, while stuffing it with many people from same regions, and promoting the doctrine of dominance over others while consolidating power (remember the botched Katiba debacle).
That is indeed a long list not expected from a government elected on a reformist, populist and nationalistic platform.
Has the bad performance been the Kibaki doctrine of governance, or is it purely the fault of his kitchen cabinet? It occurs and appears that both factors account for the current state of affairs, otherwise how else could one explain the repeated and quite unfortunate “ wao ni pumbavu” statement.
Kibaki himself needs to boldly address now, with public sensitivity, the pertinent issue at hand, without further delegating any responsibilities to Justice Aaron Ringera at the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission; which might just then be a time buying gesture if at all he does that.
Justice Ringera has since assuming office, fed the public with the same platitudes of nuance value using a single word, “investigations”, despite having had all the; time, mechanisms, public goodwill, and resources in place to initiate prosecution on graft.
Ringera needs to go ahead and prosecute the culprits even if he fails, he will not be blamed but the public will scrutinise the reason(s) for failing and re-focus on it (them). Unless of course, if there is a reason more than known to the public as to why Ringera can’t act, then the taxpayers from who he’s drawing such a handsome salary, have a right to be angered. Kenyans want value for their money.
Kibaki on the other hand, has to do the prudent political job of doing unto Mwiraria, Murungi, Awori and Kimunya, what he did to Murungaru, so as to pave way for KACC’s, never-ending investigations. No love can be lost on most Kenyans who have suffered one way or another under the cruel hand of corruption.
A few interesting things about some of Kibaki’s loyalists.
It is to be noted that under the slogan “Zero tolerance to corruption”, Finance Minister David Mwiraria, unilaterally fired all Supplies Officers across the nation and centralised the procurement of supplies at Treasury.
He replaced them with a team of 36 Senior Procurement Officers, of which 23 out of 36 appointees as expected, hailed from the slopes of Mt. Kenya. The rest of Kenya shared out 13.
It is public knowledge that the centralised procurement process is also an important vehicle for corruption in itself. Without accusing anyone, the process now effectively rests in the hands of David Mwiraria, notwithstanding the new Public Procurement laws.
This whole public supplies and contract business has been “revolutionised” under Mwiraria, in the sense that it has not only lost any semblance of competitive bidding, but assumed a tribalised single-sourcing dimension, which is patronised from the Treasury corridors.
Small rural suppliers are being driven out of business, non-GEMA suppliers are being shut out of business, and even within the GEMA community, rather than have several mid-sized suppliers getting contracts, it is now just few large suppliers dominating all sectors of supplies, period. The. President, will be doing a great service to Kenyans if he replaceded Mwiraria.
Curiously, it is also under Mwiraria’s tenure that an unspecified “Miscellaneous Accounts” holding hundreds of millions of shillings was set up mysteriously and of course secretly. What does he have to say? “Sina la kusema!”
Under the same period, this Anglo-Leasing business has thrived, siphoning off taxpayer money, with some being refunded into the Exchequer from unspecified “ghosts” upon public revelation.
Some Ministers have realised that they are becoming multi-billionaires at a rate faster than they can handle. They have become more nervous and suspicious of people outside their circle. Even brothers, sisters and cousins are being shunned and isolated out of fear.
Keen political opportunists have availed their political “dirty” services for hire, to help shield the perpetrators, in exchange for a share of the largesse. The actual perpetrators don’t even seem to know how to handle themselves, sometimes falling prey to political blackmail and arm-twisting by the same hirelings, they pay.
Kenyans are aware of those falling on each other, in amazement and stupor from riches, others in fights for enjoyment of proximity to the source of quick wealth.
Others want the quick exit of the Murungaru-Murungi Cartel in exchange for other Mafiosa.
About Kiraitu Murungi; referring to Anglo-Leasing as the scandal that never was, is enough reason not to remain in office. Murungi, he of the “a woman that already too willing to be raped” fame, has simply been Kibaki’s leading goal scorer, in his own goal. From Bomas, to the PSC on Constitution, to Parliament, to the Judicial surgery, to Judiciary appointments, CKRC, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Civic society, Referendum campaigns and all, he has literally had Kenyans shake their heads in all corners of the country. Simply he seems to be the biggest political liability Mr.Kibaki has and he can continue to retain him at his own peril.
Well, Kenyans owning land and landless squatters alike, may have little lost if Amos Kimunya is fired.
People who see title deeds not merely as pieces of paper, and who may hope for more humane treatment of future land evictees, may have every reason to celebrate if Kimunya is replacemed even from within.
MORGAN AVEDI
Baltimore - US