E-Clips:- Business Pictorial - Leaders Back Suspensions

Public Accounts Committee chairman Omingo Magara welcomed the suspension of permanent secretaries Joseph Magari and Sylvester Mwaliko, but demanded action against Cabinet ministers implicated in the passports deal.

The South Mugirango MP said: "At least theres some dim light emanating from the Government. However, it is a belated move as the Government knew of the scandal and should have taken action."

The Ford People MP, however, said the suspensions were encouraging and showed the Government wanted to fight graft.

Graft, he said, has caused Kenyans untold suffering and President Kibaki should be ready to make political sacrifices to win the fight.

Carelessness and extravagance in Government should also be reduced. The PAC was waiting for a report on the French company that was awarded the passport tender to be tabled in Parliament on Tuesday before summoning all those involved for questioning.

Assistant minister Kivutha Kibwana said the suspensions signified a new culture in Government in dealing with civil servants or leaders accused of corruption. "This is to ensure that the officers concerned do not interfere with the investigations."

The move deserves praise because it elevates the country to the level of Western nations, where officers named in any scandal automatically resign, he said. "It doesnt necessary mean that the two PSs are guilty." Ikolomani MP Bonny Khalwale (Narc) congratulated President Kibaki for the "swift move" and urged him "to go the whole hog and throw out all people involved".

"Vice-President Moody Awori and Finance minister David Mwiraria," Dr Khalwale said, "should tell us what really happened." The Federation of Women Lawyers commended President Kibaki.

"This move shows that the Government is sensitive to the public calls to iron out corruption that may have started creeping into the Executive," said Fida-Kenya executive director Jane Kiragu said.

In Mombasa, MPs said the two PSs should not be sacrificial lambs. Instead, the Government should ensure that the "real" culprits who used the civil servants were arrested.

Malavas Soita Shitanda said corruption was rife in the Government "and the best way to deal with the vice would be to get rid of the top Government officials who work in darkness".

Mr Shitanda said the passports scandal was just a tip of the iceberg, as more revelations would be made soon on other cases of corruption involving billions of shillings.

"Some officials in the Government have been paying pending bills, even after the Government put a stop to such payments," he said.

He called for an audit to find which companies had been paid and whether the payments were justified. Mwea MP Alfred Nderitu said the suspension was long overdue.

Mrs Nyiva Mwendwa, MP for Kitui West, said the Government should not spare anyone implicated in the scam.

The Law Society of Kenya welcomed the suspensions. Said chairman Ahmednassir Abdullahi: "We would like to see many more people arrested since the deal involved more than those suspended."

He called for investigations into any other transactions by the PSs. "Investigations should be carried out and all those named or connected to the scandal be made to answer," she said.