Cord to plan demos over Anglo Leasing payments

The Cord coalition plans to call countrywide protests against the decision by the government to pay Sh125 billion to firms linked to the Anglo-Leasing projects.

Top Cord politicians on Friday declared that they would use all legal means available — including public demos — to block the payments.

A Cord leader, Mr Kalonzo Musyoka, said the country risked high rate of inflation if the payments were made.

“The prices of food will definitely shoot up,” he said.

His co-principal Moses Wetangula said: “The Sh125 billion should be used to buttress monies remitted to the counties so that devolution can be strengthened.” he said.

The leaders were speaking in Bomachoge Borabu constituency in Kisii County during the burial of former area MP Zephaniah Anyieni.

Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba asked why the government wanted to pay for contracts that the Narc administration disowned in 2004. He also criticised President Uhuru Kenyatta for reneging on his infamous “can’t pay, won’t pay” declaration with regard to the projects.

He sought to know why the figure had shot to Sh125 billion against the less than Sh30 billion owed.

Attorney General Githu Muigai this week said the government would pay the money to the companies to enable it to borrow.

Mr Muigai added they took the decision to pay on grounds that the government was not ready to deal with the endless legal battles surrounding the contracts.

The AG said the government would pay the money by instalments. The first amount was factored in a recent supplementary budget of Sh2 billion.