More Lies For Gullible Kenyans From Finance Minister Kimunya

Last night during a popular talk show on KTN (Kenya Television Network) TV, finance minister Amos Kimunya openly lied to Kenyans over the Anglo Leasing scandal that has haunted president Kibaki's administration for the past three years.

Kimunya said in front of TV cameras that he did not know who returned Sh 1 billion to the treasury during the height of the scandal and the only information was that of the bank in Germany where the money was wired from.

This answer was not only an insult to the intelligence of the person who asked the question but also to the thousands of viewers who were watching the show.

For starters how was it not possible to know the identity of the person or organization you have given a multi million shilling security contract in the first place? Remember how sensitive security contracts are? They are so sensitive that open tendering is usually avoided and that is why they are so popular with those intent on dipping their hands into the cookie jar. And again, can a government fail to be interested in an organization or individual who has returned a billion shillings to the treasury?

It is clear that the government has failed on its war against corruption but what is more annoying is the blatant lies that senior government officials are peddling as they go about defending an increasingly unpopular regime.

These lying tactics were popular in the 1970's when the state radio and TV, Voice of Kenya those days, would release a bulletin claiming that the then president was on a busy working holiday at the coast without thinking twice about the contradiction of their statement. Is it possible to be on holiday and to be busy at the same time? We now know the terrible truth. The heat favored the aging president's life and as he drifted in and out of his comas, so he went to the coast to pass out even as his kitchen cabinet robbed the country blind and as AG Charles Njonjo ruled Kenya.

It seems the Kibaki administration is stuck in some kind of time warp of the 70's where Kenyans were generally considered gullible by the ruling class who fed them with ridiculous propaganda, which was never taken with 'a pinch of salt'

The common excuse that the government of today is using in its attempt to cover up corruption deals and make Kenyans forget about is the phrase that 'investigations are still ongoing'. I can assure you that at this rate investigations will never end een by the end of this century.

A former planning minister in Kibaki's administration, Prof Anyang' Nyong'o was a delight to watch on the TV talk show last night as he took Kimunya to task over corruption and wondered aloud whether these so called investigations will ever be completed.

The subdued minister also failed to answer the disturbing question on the minds of many Kenyans as to why his colleagues implicated in the Anglo Leasing scandal have been reinstated in the cabinet yet it is claimed investigations are ongoing.

At some point, Kimunya got so worked up and with no defense, he kept on repeating himself without knowing it, after his face broke into a sweat as he came to pains in his fruitless attempt to defend the government over corruption. He sounded ridiculous and poor Beatrice Marshall, the show's host had a difficult time stopping him from dominating the proceedings with his gibberish and repeated lies.

President Kibaki said yesterday while launching the youth enterprise fund that he has faith in Kenyans as he goes about his re-election bid. What he failed to ask himself is, do Kenyans have faith in him?

But even stranger was the SMS vote taken about whether the government is winning or losing the fight against corruption. Miraculously and mysteriously a whole 43% of the respondents felt that the government was winning.

My fear is that these are the same banana-voting-Hutus-of-Kenya rearing their ugly heads and putting tribal sentiments (ni mtu wetu) ahead of clear logical thinking.

Very sad, this and definitely not good news for the country. My 7-year old knows without promoting that this government is full of liars. How a grown person misses it smacks of only one thing—blatant tribal sentiments.

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