Scam - Githongo Now Accused Of Leaking Secrets The People Daily 07 February 2005 Page: 1
ANTI-GRAFT czar John Githongo has come under fresh scrutiny with key personalities in President Mwai Kibakis administration pointing an accusing finger at him over alleged leakage-of confidential state information to foreign missions. Influential personalities close to the head of state are uncomfortable with Githongo, who they accuse of warning for the interest of wealthy Western governments that support him in his illustrious career in the civil society.
Impeccable sources told The People Daily senior state officials were apprehensive that lucrative contracts cancelled by the government over suspicion of impropriety were now being used the state as being irredeemably corrupt.
"There is absolutely nothing new. What is being described as emerging corruption is what the government has scrutinized and rejected because certain conditional ties were not met," said a senior government official.
"The government should be congratulated not vilified for canceling multi- million shilling contracts because they felt to meet the strict government. All the hullabaloo is about deals nibbed in the bud,” he added. Githongo, the State House based permanent secretary in charge of governance and ethics is being accused for of using his close links to Western governments through civil society to push through the agenda by tainting the government.
Before his appointment as a senior advisor to Kibaki on, ethics and governance, Gitbongo was he executive director of the Kenyan Transparency International, a globally respected anti-graft civil society. However, efforts to reach Githongo proved futile.
Following the allegations the government demanded evidence of any impropriety with a pledge that it will be acted upon in accordance with the law. The Official Secrets Acts bars civil servants from releasing confidential information to unauthorized persons.
The fresh allegations come in the wake of a previous attempt to water down his influence that backfired after complaints from the civil society and donors. Githongo had last year been moved from his hallowed State House office to the ministry of justice and constitutional affairs based at the Corporative House.
The complaint comes in the wake of a stinging attack on The National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) administrations commitment to the war against sleaze as promised during the 2002 general election campaigns British high commissioner Edward Clay who received the support of other Western donor nations accused the government of abetting corruption and disclosed that President Kibaki has been served With a dossier implicating four members of his cabinet.