Latest Githongo Tape: Who Is Anglo Leasing?

Why Did Mwiraria Rush Back To Nairobi On Recieiving News Of The New Tape?

One of the questions that have been raised in the minds of many Kenyans in the wake of the dramatic release of the latest John Githongo tape is; who is Anglo Leasing?

Who is the shadowy figure that lawyer Fred Ojiambo was so protective over to the extent where he was prepared to spend time in a filthy Kileleshwa Police cell with common criminals and not divulge the name?

Who is this person who caused former finance minister David Mwiraria to ask Githongo rather anxiously in the latest tape, as they discussed Ojimabo's arrest; "did he give any information?" One can almost sense the relief when Githongo confirms that they were not able to get this key information from the well-known Nairobi lawyer.

Mwiraria even goes on to clearly imply that there was great danger in "harassing Ojiambo" because "you never know what he might say and who else he will pick on.. and who he will go down with Anglo Leasing." So who is this shadowy figure that instructed lawyer Fred Ojiambo to place the ads? This person who Mwiraria was not prepared to have their name "picked on?"

That is the question that Kenyans will have to puzzle over even as the government remained strangely quiet over the latest released tape (many believe that they had been stunned into silence). Even this government's most aggressive defender, foreign minister, Raphael Tuju referred the enquiring press to "the arm of government incharge of investigations." It speaks volumes that Tuju DID NOT say his former cabinet colleague was innocent and that this was a plot to derail Narc Kenya's election campaign, which is the usual predictable statement that one would expect.

The latest tapes arose out of an interesting situation where KACA, under the direction of Githongo decided to go after lawyer Fred Ojiambo for information after he booked a series of ads in the local media that defended the position of the brief-case company called Anglo Leasing. It went without saying that simply revealing the name of the client he was booking the advertisements on behalf of would have revealed who this key Anglo Leasing link was.

Githongo uses the word "belligerent" several times in the tape to describe Ojiambo's behavior towards KACA investigating officers who were seeking the vital information from him. This means the lawyer was spoiling for a fight and was aggressive and quarrelsome. Githongo however points out that after a few hours in police custody, he changed completely.

Here Githongo was clearly sending a message to the two cabinet ministers in using the word repeatedly and probably also trying to get some information from them. It is clear that he would not have recorded his conversation with them had he not been sure that the pair were right at the center of Anglo Leasing. Why would a lawyer be so cocky to Kaca? Unless of course he knew that he had some very powerful protection indeed.

But even more dramatic in the latest tape was Mwiraria invoking the name of the president and informing Githongo that the president was in fact aware. Mwiraria points to a memo and a discussion he had with the president.

Chances are high that one of the reasons why Ojiambo never divulged the name of his client was because that person would have led straight to the highest office in the land. Indeed that is exactly where Mwiraria seems to have rushed to when news of the release of the latest Githongo tape came out. The minister is said to have been out of town but quickly rushed back to Nairobi. It is no secret that Mwiraria remains very close to President Kibaki. The two have in fact been close friends for many years.

In the next day or so we should see some sort of government reaction even as we wait this morning for some more revelations from ODM-Kenya secretary general Prof Nyang Nyong, who was minister of planning in the Kibaki government when Anglo Leasing was happening. Nyongo promised yesterday to "tell Kenyans what I know."

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