Ringera says he’s enjoying KACC ‘circus’

Besieged Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission director Aaron Ringera on Monday put on a brave face, telling the Nation he had nothing to say in the face of pressure for him to quit.

Mr Ringera spoke as Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Muthaura steered clear of the KACC debate, saying the commission’s boss should speak for himself.

In an interview with the Daily Nation, Mr Ringera appeared jovial and often broke into laughter. He said the debate over his reappointment and that of his two deputies had become a “big” circus.

He said: “I am going to remain quiet and keep on reading newspapers to know what is being said.”

The anti-graft boss, whose reappointment has been rejected by Parliament, said he was enjoying the “speculation” about his job and whereabouts.

Mr Ringera, who has been overseas and came back on Sunday, declined to comment on reports that he visited State House on return.

“For now I don’t want to comment on anything. I will react when I want,” said Mr Ringera, who was speaking to the media for the first time since Parliament declared his reappointment illegal.

Speaking at the Kenya Institute of Administration, Mr Muthaura refused to take questions on whether he was advising the President to revoke Mr Ringera’s reappointment.

“Has Ringera made any pronouncements? Ask him the questions because I am sure he has the answers,” he said.

He was speaking after the opening of African Association of Public Administration and Management meeting by the Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Musalia Mudavadi.

Mr Mudavadi also avoided a direct reaction to Mr Ringera’s reappointment but questioned the principle of collective responsibility, wondering whether it should be applied to the grand coalition Cabinet since “we are not in a military or single party regime.”

Speaking at the workshop, Mr Mudavadi said collective responsibility, which was the subject of discussion in Parliament during the Ringera debate, had no standard rules of compliance.

It had different meanings in military regimes, single party governments, multi-party and grand coalition systems.

“In Kenya, the issue of collective responsibility is at a crossroads because its real meaning appeared to change in various systems of government.

“That is what you as government and management scholars should let us understand after the five days you will be here,” Mr Mudavadi told the delegates.

The reappointment of Mr Ringera, his deputies Smokin Wanjala and Fatuma Sichale was rejected by Parliament on Wednesday last week, on grounds that it was illegal.

MPs adopted a joint report by two committees saying the President acted contrary to procedure by not consulting the KACC Advisory Board and Parliament in making the appointments.

Parliament now wants the President to revoke those appointments and fresh recruitment be made.

On Sunday, the Committee on Implementation said President Kibaki had 60 days to act on Parliament’s recommendations, failure to which MPs would punish Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs minister Mutula Kilonzo.

But on Monday, the committee chairman, Kigumo MP, Mr Jamleck Kamau, said “we can only come in after 60 days if the resolution passed by Parliament is lawful.”

Mr Kilonzo insisted that the anti-graft boss was still legally in office.