Kenyan Lawmakers Recommend Prosecution Of Vice-President Over Graft

International Press

31 March 2006 Page: w

People’s Daily, China Kenya's parliamentary watchdog has recommended the prosecution of the country's vice-President Moody Awori, among other officials of being involved in a multi-million dollars scandal which is rocking the east African nation's government. According to the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report which was tabled in parliament late Thursday by the Official Opposition Leader Uhuru Kenyatta, former ministers David Mwiraria, Chris Murungaru, Kiraitu Murungi and Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura should be investigated. The report obtained here Friday says that, Awori, who denied any irregularities in the so-called "Anglo Leasing affair," a scandal intended to defraud the country of millions of millions of dollars through fictitious security tenders, was indeed involved in the scam. According to the report, Awori was sufficiently involved in the Anglo Leasing contract to take responsibility for its shortcomings and this was contrary to the evidence he gave to the committee. "There is abundant evidence on record that the vice-president was sufficiently involved in the implementation of the Anglo Leasing contract as to take responsibility for its shortcomings," states the report. The report cites a memo dated September 8, where Awori authorized the 2.7 billion Shillings (about 40 million U.S. dollars) tamper proof passports deal. The report also cites Awori's statement to Parliament, where he defended the multi-million scandals which have led to the resignation of three key ministers in the ruling coalition. The committee noted that the vice-president has never apologized to the lawmakers for misleading parliament on the issue. The report by the public accounts committee of the Kenyan parliament makes 16 recommendations, the first of which says that people involved in the Anglo Leasing scandal should be prosecuted. The alleged fraud involved the procurement of a police forensic laboratory and a passport equipment system to supply hi-tech passports. The evidence came from Kenya's former anti graft czar John Githongo who is now living in self-imposed exile in the UK after he has expressed fears about his life. Awori has previously said that as a government minister, he had nothing to do with "technical matters" like contracts which were the responsibility of senior civil servants. The scandal has already forced the resignations of former justice minister Kiraitu Murungi and his finance counterpart David Mwiraria, but Awori, a close ally of President Mwai Kibaki, has thus far rebuffed calls to step down. Debate on the report had been stopped but National Assembly Speaker Francis ole Kaparo declared on Thursday that it must be tabled 'in public interest.' "It is for this greater Public Interest, in spite of my misgivings on the procedure used in compiling this Report, that I am inclined to admit this report for consideration by this House," Kaparo said.