E-Clips:- Business Pictorial - Arrests Expected On Anglo Leasing

Officials involved in corrupt deals associated with the Anglo Leasing Company will be arrested and charged in court.

It was immaterial whether the money involved has been returned or not, said National Security minister Chris Murungaru.

Speaking during Nation TV News Hour programme on Thursday night, Dr Murungaru said the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, the police and the office of Ethics and Governance were investigating and that the progress was commendable.

He declined to give details, saying it could interfere with the investigations.

"We will see if there was a crime committed and go for the persons involved," he said, and that he was optimistic the Government would be absolved from blame since it was committed to learning from past mistakes.

Corruption, he said, was like a chronic disease and needed time to treat fully. "It is not like removing a pimple from your face."

The minister accused the media and politicians of "blowing the Anglo Leasing scandal out of proportions" to settle some scores which, he said, had almost compromised the focus on the bigger fight against graft.

The issue had diverted the national attention from important issues such as agriculture, revival of industries and reconstruction of roads.

Although some senior officials of the past government had been questioned, Dr Murungaru said the Government would not waste more time on the past.

A committee formed recently would examine the procurement of security services and goods to counter the suspicions of corruption.

On claims that he was involved in corrupt deals, the minister said his conscience was clean and he had nothing to worry about.

He said: "I was ready for the accusations. I will not let myself be distracted from the core business of my ministry, which is security and fighting graft."

Cases of bribery and abuse of office, especially in the Judiciary and the police force, had declined since Narc assumed power, he said.

Police were also better paid and better equipped and a Sh100-million project to improve their housing was on course.

The minister cautioned the media against getting involved in witch-hunting but said he welcomed constructive criticism from the public.

Part of the counter-accusations, he said, was because some government officials were being held responsible, for example for the forensic laboratory scandal and had to show "it started in 1998 while they came to office in 1993."