Ministers clinging on luxury limos now named

Twenty two senior officials are yet to surrender their high capacity vehicles for smaller official cars even after months of Treasury pressure to attack spending.

Four Cabinet ministers and seven assistant ministers have flatly refused to return vehicles without any explanation to the Ministry of Finance, according to a report by the government’s Transport Task Force.

The taskforce at the Treasury and chaired by Mr Donald Kibera, is charged with managing the handing over of vehicles of a capacity above 1800cc assigned to officials, in a drive to reduce the fuel bill which reportedly stands at Sh8.3 billion annually.

Only the President, Prime Minister and Vice-President are exempt from this policy announced by Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta in this year’s Budget.

The latest Treasury report has six permanent secretaries listed. A surprise inclusion on the blacklist is that of permanent secretary Sam Mwale, who is the deputy Head of the Public Service.

Cars left behind

His boss, Mr Francis Muthaura, has been at the forefront of the government policy to switch to smaller cars, leading to accusations of harassment from ministers and top civil servants who have not complied with the new directive.

The report reveals that some top officials who were previously on record as having returned their limousines continue enjoying the luxury of their Mercedes Benz vehicles left behind when they returned older models, according to the report dated November 11.

The ministers on this list are Mr John Munyes (Labour) Mercedes GKA347F, Prof George Saitoti (Internal Security) Mercedes Benz GKA876S and Volvo GK191R, Mr Otieno Kajwang’ (Immigration), who still has Mercedes GKA543T and Mr Mutula Kilonzo (Justice) with his Toyota VX GKA565G.

But in an interview with Saturday Nation on Friday, Mr Kilonzo said he only had one car – a Passat – and was not aware of any other vehicles.

“After all, ministers are not in charge of vehicles. Let them come and take any vehicle they believe does not fall within the new directive. But to order policemen to look for minister’s cars is absurd,” said Mr Kilonzo, in apparent reference to previous warnings from the Treasury.

He said it was sad that he had to borrow an off-road vehicle to take International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo on a tour of Nairobi National Park since it was wet.

“Ministers should have a Passat as a ceremonial car, one other of less engine capacity and a pool of off-road vehicles for all ministers. My Passat cannot go to my constituency – Mbooni — for example. Otherwise, I don’t like this whole comedy of errors,” said the Justice Minister.

On Friday, the Nation reported that a minister had written to President Kibaki seeking his intervention. He claimed that ministers were being harassed, yet the directive was not clear whether it was vehicles of more than 1800cc that were to be returned, or the government was phasing out Mercedes Benzes irrespective of their lower engine capacities.

Some ministers have also questioned why a Mercedes Benz that meets the 1800cc limit imposed by the government should be replaced with an 1800cc Passat yet the government seeks to reduce fuel consumption expenditure of Sh8.3 billion by almost half.

Mr Kilonzo said a minister with a Mercedes Benz or any other car of lower engine capacity than a Passat had the right to keep it.

“I am not aware that the government intended to promote a particular manufacturer or to demonise ministers. It is meant to minimise wastage and cut costs.”

The ministers listed as having flatly refused to return their limos are Mr Amason Kingi (East African Community), Mr Michuki (Environment), Mr Fred Gumo (Regional Development Authorities) and Dr Naomi Shaban (Special Programmes).

Dr Shaban said her Mercedes Benz’s capacity was 1796cc. She said: “I am following the policy. There is nowhere it says Mercedes Benzes should be returned.”

Mr Gumo refused to be interviewed on the issue, saying government affairs were not transacted through the media.

“If the Ministry of Finance wants the car, they should write to me requesting for it and not issue a list through the media,” he told Saturday Nation.

His assistant, Mr Judah ole Metito and permanent secretary Carey Orege are still holding onto their fuel guzzlers.

Mr Kingi is joined by his assistant Peter Munya, and at Mr Kilonzo’s Justice ministry, assistant minister William Cheptumo Kipkorir is on the list.
But reached for comment, Mr Kipkorir said he had already returned his.

“While I cannot confirm whether the car has reached the government yard, what I know is that I have returned it to the ministry to forward it to that of Finance,” said Mr Kipkorir.

Education’s two assistant ministers Ayiecho Olweny and Calist Mwatela also appear to be reading from the same script as their PS Karega Mutahi.
However, their minister Sam Ongeri has toed the line as directed by Mr Kenyatta.

But the Internal Security minister, Prof Saitoti retained two high capacity vehicles as did his assistant ministers Orwa Ojodeh and Simeon Lesrima.

The issue of new transport policy is expected to feature at the ministers retreat in Mombasa.