E-Clips:- Business Pictorial - President Was Well Informed, Report Indicates

PRESIDENT Kibaki was regularly briefed on the Anglo Leasing-type contracts from the time they became subjects of Parliamentary inquiry, the report says. But the committee's report does not implicate the Head of State in the dubious contracts.

The committee accepted evidence by former Governance and Ethics Permanent Secretary, John Githongo, that he kept the President in the know on the contracts. It accepted a memorandum on the contracts presented by Mr Githongo, which he had sent to the President as his brief.

Githongo, a former Transparency International-Kenya executive director, joined the Government in 2003 as the President's anti-corruption advisor. The committee said it was "difficult" to conclude that Githongo did not brief the President, citing the former PS's closeness to the Head of State and evidence by witnesses.

"Since Mr Githongo worked directly for the President, to whom he reported, and since one ofMr Githongo's important responsibilities, according to the evidence of be difficult to conclude that he did not brief the President on the Anglo Leasing contract," it says. The committee also noted that the sacking of senior civil servants, whose ministries played a role in the contracts, showed that the President was aware of what was going on.

Testimony by the Head of the Public Service, Mr Francis Muthaura,confirmed the assertion. The House committee, however, did not mention the link between Muthaura's testimony and the President's role.

PAC noted that President Kibaki had directed Githongo to investigate the identity of Mr Merlyn Kettering - a key figure implicated in the Anglo Leasing-type contracts by the committee.

The report also says the President gave Githongo "firm instructions" to ensure that Sh91 million paid to Anglo Leasing was recovered. Githongo is also said to have briefed the President on diverse dates, including on May 10, 2004 about the progress of the Anglo Leasing investigations.