Two Jubilee MPs support Anglo Leasing payments

Two Jubilee coalition Members of Parliament have said they support plans by the government to pay firms linked to Anglo-leasing contracts.

Gichugu MP Njogu Barua and his Kieni counterpart Kanini Kega said they were waiting for the matter to be brought to the House for debate.

“Once the matter is tabled in the National Assembly for discussion we shall endorse it,” Mr Barua said.

The MPs said the money was attracting huge interests and it was only fair that it be paid to the firms.

“The money is earning Sh150,000 interests every day and it should be paid as soon as possible so that the country does not lose a lot of money belonging to the taxpayers,” Mr Kega said.

They dismissed claims by the opposition that the government was planning to pay Sh125billion to the firms.

“Contrary to the claims, the government wants to pay Sh1.2 billion only. The Cord is peddling false claims to mislead Kenyans and they should stop it,” Mr Barua said.

Speaking on Sunday during a funds-raiser in aid of Kathata Anglican church in Kirinyaga County, the lawmakers told the Cord leaders to be realistic and stop opposing plans to pay up.

ODM interim leader, prof Anyang’ Nyong’o has already said it would be a mockery for the government to get its National Assembly to debate the possibility of paying huge sums of money to faceless companies.

Prof Nyong’o also expects the Jubilee to reveal those behind the companies.

The Kisumu senator said Kenyans wanted to see the government tackle the issue with the same zeal it is using to fight cases before the International Criminal Court.

At the same time, the two MPs took issue with Cord co-principal Mr Kalonzo Musyoka over his ethnicity remarks.

The MPs said Mr Musyoka erred when he allegedly refused to answer a question from a journalist simply because of his ethnicity.