Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NAIROBI661
2006-02-14 13:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Nairobi
Cable title:  

CORRUPTION IN KENYA: TWO MORE MINISTERS RESIGN

Tags:  ECON PGOV EAID EFIN KCOR PREL PINR KE 
pdf how-to read a cable
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DE RUEHNR #0661/01 0451316
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O 141316Z FEB 06
FM AMEMBASSY NAIROBI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9564
RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP IMMEDIATE
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000661 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/EPS, EB/IFD/OMA
USAID FOR AFR/DP WADE WARREN, AFR/EA JEFF BORNS AND
JULIA ESCALONA
MCC FOR KEVIN SABA AND MALIK CHAKA
TREASURY FOR LUKAS KOHLER
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/14/2031
TAGS: ECON PGOV EAID EFIN KCOR PREL PINR KE
SUBJECT: CORRUPTION IN KENYA: TWO MORE MINISTERS RESIGN

Ref: A. Nairobi 607, B. Nairobi 527, C. Nairobi 494, D.

Nairobi 395

Classified by Econ Counselor John Hoover for reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NAIROBI 000661

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/E, AF/EPS, EB/IFD/OMA
USAID FOR AFR/DP WADE WARREN, AFR/EA JEFF BORNS AND
JULIA ESCALONA
MCC FOR KEVIN SABA AND MALIK CHAKA
TREASURY FOR LUKAS KOHLER
LONDON AND PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 2/14/2031
TAGS: ECON PGOV EAID EFIN KCOR PREL PINR KE
SUBJECT: CORRUPTION IN KENYA: TWO MORE MINISTERS RESIGN

Ref: A. Nairobi 607, B. Nairobi 527, C. Nairobi 494, D.

Nairobi 395

Classified by Econ Counselor John Hoover for reasons 1.4
(B) and (D).


1. (C) Summary: Under intense pressure generated by the
Anglo-Leasing and Goldenberg scandals, Kenyan President
Mwai Kibaki accepted (or, more accurately, demanded) the
resignation of two more ministers on February 13. These
and related developments perhaps mark the beginning of a
change in Kenya's political culture if the anti-graft
momentum is maintained. Optimism must be tempered by the
fact that Kibaki took these actions only in response to
intense public pressure, and not because of any newfound
commitment to aggressively fighting corruption. End
summary.

--------------
Two More Ministers Step Down
--------------


2. (SBU) Major tremors from the earthquake caused by
revelations of grand scale corruption both past and present
continue to shake Kenya's political landscape. On the
evening of February 13, President Mwai Kibaki announced in
a terse statement on national television that he had
accepted the resignations of two sitting ministers, Energy
Minister Kiraitu Murungi and Education Minister George
Saitoti. In both cases, said Kibaki, he was accepting the
resignations to "pave the way for investigations" into
Saitoti's role in the 16-year old Goldenberg affair and
into Murungi's role in the more recent Anglo-Leasing and
related scandals (reftels for background). Saitoti and
Murungi now join David Mwiraria, who resigned February 1 as
Finance Minister in response to the allegations of cover-up
against him in the Anglo-Leasing scandals (ref C).



3. (C) Press reporting, supported by Murungi's earlier
strong public refusal to step down, indicates the two
resignations were not voluntary, but were demanded by
Kibaki in response to mounting media and public pressure
for action in response to the twin scandals of Anglo-
Leasing and Goldenberg.

-------------- ---
Tainted Presidential Advisor Getonga Also Let Go
-------------- ---


4. (C) In a statement released by the Presidential Press
Service only a few hours before Kibaki's announcement, the
Government said that Presidential Personal Assistant Alfred
Getonga was no longer employed in the Office of the
President. The Githongo dossier, with ample corroboration
from sensitive reporting, places Getonga at the center of
the Anglo-Leasing scams, playing the role of active
intermediary between the key government players and the
businessmen pushing the deals. While the statement fell
short of naming Getonga as such, in saying that Getonga's
contract had expired and will not be renewed, it is the
most definitive statement yet that he no longer has status
in the Office of the President.


5. (SBU) The press also reported February 14 that Attorney
General Amos Wako has written to the source of the Anglo-
Leasing allegations, former anti-corruption czar John
Githongo, to officially invite him back from the UK to
Kenya in order provide evidence and testimony to the Kenya
Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC). The letter reportedly
gives assurances that the Government will provide adequate
"security arrangements" for Githongo upon his return.

--------------
More Heads to Roll?
--------------


6. (C) With pressure from the media, the public, and civil
society still intense, the next question in many minds is
who will be next to resign -- or forced to resign.
Considerable focus is directed at Vice President Moody
Awori. World Bank Country Director Colin Bruce, who
claimed he was with Kibaki on February 13 when the latter
was preparing his announcement, told the Donor Coordination
Group February 14 to "stay tuned for at least one

NAIROBI 00000661 002 OF 002


additional announcement." Bruce concluded the meeting's
lengthy discussion of corruption by summarizing the
consensus that had emerged among donors and diplomats
around the table: on one the hand, the three recent
resignations are historic steps, indicative of an
impressive maturation of Kenya's democracy. On the other
hand, the country's political leadership still has not done
enough to satisfy the legitimate demands of not just
donors, but of the Kenyan public itself, for greater
accountability.

--------------
Comment
--------------


7. (C) Indeed, the unprecedented events of the past two
weeks, with three Cabinet ministers resigning or being
forced to step aside, might represent the beginnings of a
shift in the political culture in Kenya towards greater
accountability. Less encouraging is the fact that Kibaki
took this course of action only under intense pressure from
the media, the public, civil society, and donors, all
spurred by the sheer volume and credibility of the Githongo
dossier. It is also no secret that those State House and
political insiders who have been pushing for these
resignations have viewed the Murungi/Murungaru clique as
political and economic competitors and have used the
Githongo report as ammunition to strike fatal blows. Thus,
it appears that Kibaki sees the three resignations not as
justified on their own merits, but rather concessions
designed to buy off the public and donors. There is as yet
no evidence of a clear executive commitment to maintaining
the momentum on the war on graft. Whether in the long-run
the Government obtains convictions or not, Kibaki should
now swiftly seek more resignations, and then fast-track
prosecution of the most egregious wrongdoers, including not
least those who are (or were until recently) members of his
own inner circle.
Bellamy