Could John Githongo Be Seeking Political Office?

I still remember former PS for ethics John Githongo enthusiastically telling me about his publishing idea. It was those heady mid 80s and I was just starting out in publishing. He had heard of my exploits and just wanted to compare notes.

I remember his rather loud laugh and easy manner, we hit it off immediately. What struck me most about him was that despite his privileged upbringing (e.g. elite private school education at St Marys where he was two years behind the official leader of the opposition, Uhuru Kenyatta) he was very down to earth and mixed easily with all sorts down-and-out characters.

He obviously knew me well, said he had watched me playing rugby several times. A mutual friend introduced us and we had several meetings after that, talking about many other things, apart from the project at hand. Mostly the stuff that would interest young men waiting to go into university. He especially liked a drinking joint called the New Florida Night Club along Koinange Street – although in those days it was yet to be notorious for prostitutes.

Our paths never really crossed again, although they should have. Especially when he started working for Executive magazine where he helped plan a special East African feature. This happened shortly after the business magazine that I was working for then as editor, had embarked on such a project (a very rare idea in those days when even the EastAfrican was about two years away from being launched). I though we would meet at the airport or in some Finance minister’s office. But it never happened.

I have a lot of admiration for Githongo. He is proof that a new generation of younger leaders born after independence can do a much better job of leading this country.

Being in government and close to power changes people. Githongo is very ambitious, yet he chose to say no to money that would have made him a very wealthy man today. Today, instead of being on the run for his life, he would have been wallowing in luxury in Nairobi. All he had to do was look the other way where Anglo Leasing was concerned. For that you have to give him great credit and the people of Kenya owe this man a great debt.

All these thoughts have been going through my mind this week as the Anglo Leasing story broke in the Nation with Githongo as the main source of the investigated and verified details.

What kept on nagging on my mind is the timing. Who initiated the story? Was it the Nation or Githongo? Githongo has been in exile for quite a while now. There is no doubt that the Nation has been trying to get in touch with him to spill the beans all this time. Remember that the man was a columnist with the EastAfrican (part of the Nation media group) and he no doubt has numerous close friends at the newspaper.

So why has he decided to spill the beans now? Why has he submitted his report to Aaron Ringera’s KACA now? With safety in mind, it may have been a better idea to make his move after the elections when hopefully a new and more sympathetic government would be in place. Or he would have submitted the report a few months into his exile (it surely does not take over a year to write a report).

Could it be that John Githongo is preparing to return to Kenya to seek political office?

There is nothing wrong with Githongo having political ambitions and given his track record for fighting corruption, it would position him rather well for virtually any political office in 2007.

Over to you, John.

Oh, and about the publishing idea John had in those days. It didn’t work out. In my opinion and with the benefit of hindsight, it was ahead of its’ time.