E-Clips:- Business Pictorial - Kibaki Dealt Credibility Blow As Githongo Quits

President Mwai Kibaki and the Narc government suffered a severe credibility blow when the Permanent Secretary in charge of the war on corruption, Mr John Githongo, threw in the towel yesterday.

Although no concrete reasons for the sudden resignation were immediately given, insiders say that Mr Githongo who nonetheless conceded to having been frustrated has been walking a tight rope, shunned by the presidents men and lately accused of leaking secrets linked to fight against graft.

Githongos resignation was communicated to the press in a short fax message indicating he left government while on an overseas trip. The statement from Githongos former office also said that he sent his resignation letter to the president

And last evening, a statement issued by Permanent Secretary and Head of the Public Service Francis Muthaura, claimed the “government had accepted the resignation of Mr John Githongo” and thanked him for his efforts against corruption in the last two years.

The statement dated yesterday read: “Permanent Secretary John Githongo, currently on foreign travel, today transmitted his resignation to HE President Mwai Kibaki, stating that he was no longer able to continue serving the Government of Kenya in the capacity of Permanent Secretary, Governance and Ethics. Mr Githongo who has been in this position for two years since the installation of the Narc administration in January 2003, thanked the President for the opportunity to serve the Government and the people of Kenya.”

The resignation came in the wake of the storm caused by last weeks scathing attack on Kibaki and his government by UK High Commissioner Sir Edward Clay. Clay accused the government of abetting corruption and plundering public coffers.

But government ministers counter claimed that Mr Clay was rankled because the Narc government has systematically whittled down the UKs monopoly in government business since 2003.

Githongos troubles with the president and his aides stem from his perceived close and cosy relations with the foreign donors, specifically the British and US governments although sources in government indicate he left to salvage his reputation in light of the serious credibility problems raised locally and abroad about the Kibaki government.

Sources in the know indicated that he has been considering leaving since late year upon realising that he no longer enjoyed the presidents unqualified support in the war against corruption.

It was also claimed yesterday that the president was about to sack him.

According to these reports Githongo has been isolated by the clique surrounding the president and accused of leaking state secrets to the US and UK embassies and the press.

By last year the PS had concluded that the regime was intent on using his international standing to rubber stamp its decisions while conducting a phoney war on corruption.

Other credible reports indicated yesterday that Githongo had lost the fight to a powerful clique within the Office of the President, Justice, Treasury, Transport and the Co-operatives Development ministries.

This clique, the reports showed, had paralysed Githongos operations for most of the two years he has been in office and have tried to oust him from there. They were alarmed by his resoluteness and investigation of the corrupt activities of ministers, some of them allied to the president.

It has been said that Githongo became a thorn in the flesh of the ruling elite with his spirited investigations into the Anglo Leasing scandals and corrupt dealings of contractors and tenders at Treasury, the OP, Lands and Transport ministries.

According to sources, the isolation reached a new peak when Githongo allegedly cleared Kenya Ports Authority MD Brown Ondego, of wrong doing against the expectations of the high and might. Mr.Ondego was arrested and detained on claims on corruption at the Mombasa port but critics believe he was clapped in gaol to allow the government replace him with a favoured individual.

In view of the latest accusations by Clay, Mr Githongos days appeared numbered.

Trouble for Mr Githongo started in June last year when he was pushed out of State House by a powerful cartel surrounding President Kibaki only to be reinstated after a protest by the US ambassador William Bellamy among others.

Githongo does not see eye to eye with Justice and Constitutional affairs Minister Kiraitu Murungi and his Internal Security counterpart Mr Chris Murungaru.

Githongo aged about 40 years old joined the government two years from Transparency International (Kenya) which he headed.

We learnt that his appointment had been influenced by among others Harry Mule and Joe Wanjui who are close aides to the president to boost the new administration among donors concerned with corruption under Kanu.

But he would soon outgrow the some of his mentors and earn the suspicions of the clique around the president who saw him as a lackey of the West. He was considered an ally of the UK, US and Germany ambassadors in Kenya.

He showed little interest in party politics and was known to refuse to be controlled by pro Kibaki politicians.

His departure is considered a win for the hardliners within the Kibaki administration who are opposed to accommodationist policies.

Fears were yesterday expressed that his bowing out could mark the beginning of more problems for the younger and more liberal generation and former activists and civil society members that have tried to reform the regime from within without much success.