E-Clips:- Business Pictorial - Secret Tape: Kiraitu Plays Hide And Seek In Graft Row

Embattled Cabinet minister Kiraitu Murungi yesterday played hide and seek over the tape released by former anti-graft czar John Githongo, which was broadcast repeatedly during the day by radio and television stations throughout the world. And as MPs, the public and even some of his colleagues called for his resignation over what appeared to be his attempts – recorded on the tape – to cover up the Anglo Leasing type scandals, the former Justice minister spent much of the day trying to dodge the media.

He ran into the Press at Parliament Buildings but sneaked past waiting journalists after meeting Government Chief Whip Norman Nyagah, only a few hours before a watchdog committee of MPs including Mr Nyagah left for London to interview his accuser, Mr Githongo. Even as he was meeting Mr Nyagah, another member of the watchdog team from the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) – Mr Billow Kerrow – said the Opposition might have no choice but to try to force the entire Government to resign if President Kibaki did not sack ministers adversely mentioned in the scandal.

His comments came as the President himself moved to limit the damage enveloping his administration by issuing a statement in which he promised "expeditious and decisive steps" to deal with what he admitted was "the spectre of mega corruption scandals," including Anglo Leasing. He said: "I want to assure you of my personal commitment and that of my Government to quickly deal with all the corruption and economic crimes of the past and present."

His statement appeared to many to be an answer to the remark by British International Development minister Hilary Benn that Kenya was now facing "a moment of truth" over the many dubious deals that have bedevilled Mr Kibakis Government. Earlier, Mr Murungi attended a Cabinet meeting which agreed how prominent people named in the Goldenberg Inquiry report would be investigated and prosecuted.

Sources said that on Anglo Leasing, the meeting – chaired by the President at State House, Nairobi – left it to Mr Murungi "to search his conscience and take the necessary steps", following the serious allegations made against him by Mr Githongo . On the tape, broadcast by the BBC on Wednesday night, Mr Githongo said Mr Murungi had called to see him to pass on a message from a businessman whose payments Mr Githongo "was investigating" because he feared they were part of a corrupt deal. "Call it blackmail or bribery. Call it what you want. But he was telling me that the message he had been sent from the community was that I should back off," Mr Githongo said. He told the BBC that the minister had raised the question of a loan owed by his (Githongos) father.

He says the minister linked the loan to the corruption investigations he was undertaking. He says the tape shows the minister conveying the message that the man he was investigating felt "like fighting back". On the tape Mr Murungi is heard saying: "I think the general message: Tell Githongo go a bit slow." He is also heard to say: "– then even we can go slow on your matter."

Mr Githongo told the BBC: "The Minister of Justice was telling me that if I eased off my inquiries then my fathers loan matter would be made to go away." Mr Githongo is to be interviewed about his allegations by the PAC over the weekend at the Kenya High Commission in London.

A prominent member of the team, Mr Kerrow, who is the shadow Finance minister and Kanu MP for Mandera Central, said the committee was likely to gather more evidence from Mr Githongo that would force the President to act. Mr Nyagah, who is another member of the committee headed by Official Opposition leader Uhuru Kenyatta, met Mr Murungi at the chief whips office in Parliament Buildings from 3.45 pm to 4.52 pm when the minister hurriedly left followed by his two bodyguards.

Mr Murungi, now the Energy minister, dashed down the stairs from Mr Nyagahs office and ran straight into the Press, but refused to comment about either the Anglo Leasing scandal, the incriminating tape recording, his visit to Mr Nyagah, or the possibility of his resignation. Instead his bodyguards brusquely shoved the battery of reporters to one side allowing Mr Murungi to rush onwards through the 10-metre hallway to the parking lot reserved for ministers, and into a dark blue Mercedes bearing a private registration plate. In spite of his status as a Cabinet minister, there was no pennant on the car, neither was the minister followed by the customary chase car which he used to enjoy as Justice minister.

The deputy serjeant-at-arms, in charge of security at Parliament, prevented reporters from reaching the reception area, and said: "That is enough, let us have some respect." Contacted about the meeting ahead of his trip to the meeting in London, Mr Kenyatta said: "We have already agreed on the form and questions to be asked in the probe, if anyone changes from that, I will not agree." He said that the PAC had a duty to unearth everything about corruption and that all members of the team were going to London as MPs and not members of any political party.

Commenting on the meeting, Mr Nyagah said he would not defend any corrupt person and that their meeting had no sinister purpose. "Anybody involved in corruption will not get my protection. I have seen some of my colleagues get rich very quickly," he said. And he added: "I am untainted and I have borrowed a leaf from my father and no one will point a finger at me." Mr Nyagah protested when a Daily Nation reporter asked him to disclose the agenda of their meeting. "It is a great shame that you are asking such a question, I am not limited to meeting anybody. Your question is double edged; he came to me," he replied.

Mr Nyagah went on to say he wanted to know why some opposition MPs were going to London at the time the PAC was also travelling. He declined to name them, however. He also wanted to know why the media had sent reporters to London ahead of the committees visit to question Mr Githongo, although the interview was to be held in private. He did however confirm that Mr Murungi had being trying to meet him since Monday. As Government chief whip, he said, he was responsible for the selection of MPs to committees and there was nothing wrong with any MP meeting him. On his part, Mr Kerrow said further evidence that will be received from London is likely to unmask more individuals and not just the people already named in connection with the affair: Vice-President Moody Awori, former Finance minister David Mwiraria, Mr Murungi, and Public Service head Francis Muthaura.

The MP predicted that once the evidence offered by Mr Githongo was made public, President Kibaki might not able to resist pressure from donors to deal with those involved. If he does not, the opposition might have no choice than to demand that the entire Government should resign, the MP warned. He said: "The responsibility to deal with the ministers lies with the President. There are no two ways about it".

If the President does not act, the next logical thing for the opposition is to demand the whole Government to quit and begin to work along those lines" "The buck stops with him and if he doesnt not act, there is no other way than to ask the Government to quit. This is what we are likely to do". His colleague Dr Bonaya Godana called on those adversely mentioned in connection with both Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg to resign as they await investigation.

"The whole thing is now becoming like a soap opera but I think it confirms we are in a long dark night in this country and people are really yearning for the morning," he said. Dr Godana went on: "There is no room left for anybody who has been mentioned in connection with Anglo Leasing or Goldenberg to continue for one more minute in office. They should go and Kenyans should demand that they go". Dr Godana called on the President to dissolve Parliament, call for fresh elections and publicly declare he would not defend his seat following the evidence that has emerged over the Anglo Leasing scandal. He warned those in Government who thought the issue would go away that they were in for a long wait. Instead Kenyans would demand the return of every penny stolen from public coffers through either Anglo Leasing or Goldenberg.

"This pressure will not go away. At last Kenyans have said enough is enough and will demand that every cent taken from public coffers through Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg be paid back. They will also demand punishment for all the people involved in the two scams," he said.

Mr Kerrow said it was damning for the Kenyan Anti- Corruption Commission KACC) that an individual like Mr Githongo could amass such evidence yet an institution like theirs could not. He and Dr Godana were speaking after receiving food donations worth Sh125,000 each for their constituencies from the Chandaria foundation. Other constituencies that benefited from the donation were Kaiti and Wajir West. Assistant minister Adelina Mwau called for thorough and fair investigations which should lead to the prosecution of those who might be implicated in the Anglo Leasing scandal.