E-Clips:- Business Pictorial - Pressure Mounts On Named Ministers To Quit

Politicians were united yesterday that ministers implicated in corruption scandals should follow in Finance minister David Mwirarias footsteps and resign to allow investigations.

Without identifying Cabinet colleagues who had been mentioned in connection with the Anglo Leasing scandal, Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services minister Maina Kamanda said Mr Mwirarias quitting had set an example to other public servants, MPs and Cabinet ministers. "Mr Mwirarias resignation has set a precedent and marked a new beginning for Kenya," he said.

The minister said attention should not be concentrated on the Anglo Leasing scandal, but should be turned onto others involving leaders who had yet to be mentioned.

"Some MPs and ministers currently serving in the Government have been named by the auditor-general and the Public Accounts and Public Investments Committees reports on corruption," he said. "These reports have even gone ahead to recommend that they are not fit to hold any public office. They should take the honourable action to quit." Mr Kamanda urged leaders who had been arraigned in court over criminal offences to step aside.

He was speaking in his office when French ambassador Hurbert Fournier paid him a courtesy call on Friday. He defended Mr Mwiraria against accusations of wrongdoing, saying that he was confident his former Cabinet colleague would be found innocent.

And speaking in President Kibakis Othaya constituency, assistant minister David Mwenje urged the head of state not to spare anyone involved in the misuse of public funds.

People involved in Goldenberg and Anglo Leasing scandals committed the crimes as individuals and should not expect the Government to protect them, he said. "Let them be dealt with as individuals. The crimes were not committed on behalf of the Government, but for personal gains, and each should be judged according to his deeds."

Mr Mwenje was speaking after a closed-door meeting with councillors from Othaya and Nairobi at Silent Lodge. He was with Nairobi mayor Dick Wathika. Health assistant minister Enoch Kibunguchy demanded that Vice-President Moody Awori resign. If he did not do so to pave way for investigations, he said, the President should sack him.

Speaking at Chepareria dispensary in West Pokot District, Dr Kibunguchy also urged ministers mentioned in the Goldenberg and Ndungu reports to step down. An assistant minister for Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Moroto, said his ministry was ready to welcome in the prisons ministers found guilty of corruption. He said his people were waiting for the Government to release the Ndungu report so that they could reclaim their ancestral land.

In Mombasa, former National Heritage minister Najib Balala said ministers sacked in the last reshuffle wanted President Kibaki to deal firmly with former colleagues implicated in the Anglo Leasing scandal, or they would "spill the beans" on what they know. He was speaking at Guraya in his Mvita constituency during the official commissioning of a borehole.