News

Kalonzo opens can of worms

Share Bookmark Print Email
Email this article to a friend

Submit Cancel
Rating
Music group Afrizzo led by Hellen Mtawali (left) entertains  guests at a breakfast meeting hosted by the United Bible Society in Nairobi on Monday. Photo/CHRIS OJOW

Music group Afrizzo led by Hellen Mtawali (left) entertains guests at a breakfast meeting hosted by the United Bible Society in Nairobi on Monday. Photo/CHRIS OJOW 

By BENJAMIN MUINDIPosted Monday, March 16 2009 at 22:14

In Summary

  • VP says theft of funds by ministers to fund political parties real cause of hunger

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka on Monday opened a new political war front when he accused some Cabinet ministers of using public funds to finance their parties.

Mr Musyoka said the ministers were to blame for the litany of problems facing the coalition government.

“It is like ministers are under instruction to steal as much as they can to fund their political parties... waiting for 2012,” said Mr Musyoka at a breakfast meeting hosted by the United Bible Society.

Real cause

The VP said the looting of the funds was the real reason why 10 million Kenyans were threatened with starvation, unemployment and poverty.

Mr Musyoka bluntly described a coalition government as “the worst form of governance” which allowed politicians to endanger people’s future with impunity.

“I must admit that a coalition government could be the worst form of governance that Africa has seen,” he said as Cabinet ministers Martha Karua, Hellen Sambili and assistant minister Gideon Ndambuki listened.

The VP’s sentiments were echoed by National Council of Churches deputy secretary-general Oliver Kisaka.

The church leader described the grand coalition as a kleptocracy — promoting the welfare of the ruling class at the people’s expense.

“Public funds are being diverted to areas of no benefit to Kenyans,” he said.

Mr Musyoka later turned the heat on the Church and said it had fallen short in the war on tribalism and corruption.
He said the Church had failed to unite Kenyans.

“Religious leaders, like politicians, should admit that they have let down Kenyans in advocating for justice and democracy,” he said, and expressed concern that corruption was not only taking root in some government departments, but also among religious groups, which were expected to provide moral leadership to the society.

Yawning deficit

His comments come at a time when the government is facing several cases of corruption and a yawning deficit.

Free education and school feeding programmes are near collapse due to lack of funds.

1 | 2 Next Page »

Add a comment (42 comments so far)

  1. Submitted by kenmare69
    Posted March 18, 2009 09:27 AM

    So now that Mr. Musyoka has revealed to us the corruption in govt. (like we didn’t know), what has he done, or proposes to do about it? A good leader worth his cojones would spout the accusations and then tell wananchi how he intends to influence a different outcome. Not Kalonzo, the clean altar boy who abhors the sins of the corrupt, yet he’s not averse to dining with them on the high table. So typical of ‘Wiper.’

  2. Submitted by jvoi
    Posted March 18, 2009 09:19 AM

    During campaign Kalonzo was a fierce vocal critic of Kibaki’s leadership and after losing he rushed to cushion Kibaki knowing the results could have been cooked as Kiviutu lamented at one point. He was the first saved Christian to make a coalition with what many saw as unholy side. He is not corrupt though but he just wants good life and for that, he can even make an alliance with Njenga. As Kanu organising secretary he perfected the rigging machine called mlolongo.

  3. Submitted by KEWANGO
    Posted March 17, 2009 09:53 PM

    This guy is saying the truth. They can't touch each other, and they know it. Only that he is breaking the honour among thieves. By the way Kenyans, what will these politicians tell us in 2012, with the economy crawling, no new constitution, collapsed free Secondary and Primary free education, no food security and Kenya losing acreage to Uganda, and all they promised? Tume-enjoywa!

See all 42 comments

Alternative text.