Stop arm-twisting MPs to approve the payment of billions to shadowy entities

Businessman Deepak Chamanlal Kamani leaves Integrity Centre on December 09 2010, where he was being questioned in connection with the Anglo-Leasing scandal.PHOEBE OKALL/NATION

What you need to know:

  • The National Assembly should summon Mr Annure Pereira and Mr Deepak Kamani to explain which companies they have been interceding for in the Anglo Leasing saga.
  • Let us treat this legal fascism with the contempt it deserves: refuse to pay Anglo Leasing, stop the fetishism we are developing about foreign bonds, and look for an internal process of cleaning up our financial mess and becoming more self-reliant.

The National Assembly resumed its sitting yesterday. Already, plans are in high gear from the Anglo Leasing captains to armtwist MPs to approve some criminal payments to the shadowy business moguls.

Kenyans are screaming loud and clear that MPs must maintain their stand and keep away from betraying their country.

In the meantime the National Treasury has, since independence, been fleecing Kenyans of trillions of shillings by paying shady foreign debts year in, year out.

It is time we took stock of what Kenya has been losing down the ages so that we get to know how some so-called “successful businessmen” have been taking us to the cleaners systematically so as to accumulate their wealth.

Ken-Ren (Sh4.3 billion), Goldenberg (Sh158 billion), Anglo-Leasing (Sh112 billion) and many more such deals amounting to Sh40 billion or $453,463,000 (at current exchange rate) that we have lost but can claim back if we fight hard.

The names of those involved are known from the Public Accounts Committee Report of 2006, reports from the Mars Group, the Kroll Report of September 2007 and various court records where these cases have been heard locally and abroad.

With specific reference to Anglo Leasing, there should be no guess-work. The relevant committees of the National Assembly should summon Mr Annure Pereira and Mr Deepak Kamani to explain to Kenyans which companies they have been interceding for in the Anglo Leasing saga.

In the Narc government, our Cabinet Committee on Corruption did a lot of work. Our secretary, Mr John Githongo, is around. So are my other former colleagues, Dr Chris Murungaru, Mr Kiraitu Murungi, Mr David Mwiraria and Mr Raila Odinga.

"FACTS OF A CRIMINAL NATURE"

We all should help this nation to solve this puzzle. Mr Francis Muthaura, who is the former head of public service and secretary to the Cabinet, would be of help.

So would Mr Justice Aaron Ringera who used to be the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission director when these cases reared their ugly heads. Let us all be heard first by these parliamentary committees.

President Uhuru Kenyatta will have his conclusions in 2006 when he was chairman of PAC vindicated once the National Assembly gets to know who Anglo Leasing is through these testimonies.

What Attorney-General Githu Muigai should do is to put it to the relevant courts in the United Kingdom that the government cannot proceed to honour those court decisions due to some very important facts of a criminal nature that the Kenya Government must fully investigate before proceeding further.

He must denounce an earlier letter that emanated from his office to our solicitors in London telling them not to defend Kenya in the Anglo Leasing cases.

He should also let Kenyans know that the Swiss government has already made it known to us that it froze $200 million of Anglo Leasing monies (belonging obviously to the Kenya Government) and is not likely to release it until all suspicions of criminality are ruled out.

Connecting the payment of 1.4 billion shillings to the Anglo Leasers as a condition of getting credit through foreign bonds makes no sense if we shall end up paying even more money to the Anglo Leasers once the floodgates are opened by this single payment.

Let us treat this legal fascism with the contempt it deserves: refuse to pay Anglo Leasing, stop the fetishism we are developing about foreign bonds, and look for an internal process of cleaning up our financial mess and becoming more self-reliant.

Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o is acting ODM leader ([email protected])