Fresh Tapes On Scam Released Daily Nation 13 February 2006 Page: 1
More damning audio tapes about the Anglo Leasing scandal that has hit the Kibaki administration were yesterday released in London by former Ethics permanent secretary John Githongo. Mr Githongo played the tapes to members of the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by Mr Uhuru Kenyatta, at the Kenyan high commission. But the contents of the tapes were not immediately known, since the meeting was held behind closed doors in the tradition of parliamentary committees.
The committee announced that it had compiled a list of suspects in and out of Government as it concluded its hearings with Mr John Githongo last night. Mr Kenyatta declined to name any of them, saying their names would be made public when the committee returns to Nairobi later this week and starts sending them summons to appear before it. Sources at the Embassy later said that the PAC members were expected to spend at least two more days in London writing their reports before flying back to Nairobi. The team first interviewed Mr Githongo on Saturday, after which the team expressed shock at evidence on how high in Government the Anglo Leasing scandal had reached before it was exposed in Parliament in 2004, by Ntonyiri MP Maoka Maore.
During the meeting, the exiled former PS made available the audiotapes and documents containing evidence that implicates Cabinet ministers and other top officials in the scandal. The committee met Mr Githongo and his advocate, Prof Makau Mutua, for the second day yesterday to interview him on what he knows about the biggest financial scandal to hit Narcs three-year-old government. Excerpts of the controversial tapes were first aired by the London-based British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) World Service, last Wednesday, in which the former PS was overheard being asked to "go slow" on the Anglo Leasing scandal by Cabinet minister Kiraitu Murungi, in 2004.
Mr Murungi, then Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister, has since moved to Energy. In his defence, Mr Murungi has sent 36 questions to the former PS questioning his integrity and motive for releasing his report on the scandal to local and international Press. The minister has also declined to step aside despite mounting public pressure that he should does so to pave way for unfettered investigations into the incriminating allegations against him.
Mr David Mwiraria, who was also adversely named in the report, has since resigned as Finance minister. Vice-President Moody Awori, another top ranking official linked to the scandal, has also declined to resign, saying he is innocent. Yesterday, the PAC members returned to the High Commission in the morning for the second day of the highly publicised interview with the former PS, who resigned last year and is in self-exile in London. Mr Githongo and his advocate arrived at 8am, an hour before the PAC members, comprising Government Chief whip Norman Nyagah, and MPs Billow Kerrow, Joseph Lagat, Zebedeo Opore and Charles Keter.
The committee was locked up in the meeting with the former PS until 1pm, when they took a one-hour lunch break. But they were all tight-lipped about the proceedings. Sources at the Saturday meeting yesterday revealed that Mr Githongo played recordings of his controversial tapes for most of yesterday. But unlike on Saturday, neither Mr Kenyatta, who is also the Official leader of the Opposition, nor Mr Githongo, addressed the Press before the morning session started at 9am, or during the lunch break.
The PAC chairman had hinted that he might address the Press at the end of the days proceedings at 5pm (8pm in Nairobi). But the interview went beyond the anticipated time. Mr Githongo had given the committee two days to interview him, saying his diary was crowded and he could not afford to extend the sittings. Mr Githongo had also clarified to the committee that there were no special security arrangements accorded to him by the British government. He offered to return home and testify if his security was assured.
Mr Kenyatta had said that whatever evidence given by Mr Githongo would be acted upon. "We are shocked by the amount of information Githongo had. It is astounding the extent of how high the whole scam has gone," he said. The chairman said his committee would prepare a list of those mentioned in the evidence, which would be sent to the Clerk of the National Assembly so that they could be invited to give evidence.
Meanwhile, Mr Githongo dismissed accusations by Mr Murungi and former Cabinet minister Chris Murungaru that he was a British spy. "Those are outrageous allegations by the same people who have caused us problems," the former PS said.