We Sold Grand Regency To The Libyans… Muta-do?

Two things happened yesterday, one a small incident and the other a major announcement that shook the country. Both served to remind Kenyans that nothing has changed. And probably nothing will ever change.

The smaller incident was that Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka’s motorcade was leaving his Karen residence in the morning when they came across an accident involving a Mr Joshua Kulei. Remember the former-prison-warden-turned-billionaire? The semi-illiterate guy who made bags and bags of cash, mainly looted from public coffers as former President Moi’s personal assistant? The VP’s people assisted Kulei. Apparently there were no serious injuries.

If Kulei is still not in jail it proves that nothing has changed despite all the hot air witnessed these days. The guy is still in the country enjoying his ill-gotten wealth. Yet another shining example of selective justice, Kenyan-style.

The bigger event was that Finance Minister Amos Kimunya announced that the Grand Regency has already been sold to some Libyans for about Kshs 2.9 billion. (Chris published the inside story here almost 2 months ago. Read it HERE. You will cry tears.) Now the virtually toothless parliamentary select committee has threatened action. That is really funny. What action can they seriously take?

Kimunya and company are very smart. Together with the likes of Martha Karua, (and another lawyer called Gichira Kibara) they went through the Kenyan electoral law last December and quickly identified all the loopholes. The most gaping one is that to be declared president of Kenya (whether you have lost or won the election) the only guy you need “to take care of” is the commission chair. This explains (for those with the memory of an elephant like me) why the president was so determined to fill the commission with his cronies. The idea was to prop up his own hand-picked chairperson who could do as he or she was instructed. Public pressure forced the re-appointment of Samuel Kivuitu but ways and means of getting him to play ball were still found.

These people do not make mistakes (legally at least). When it comes to politics, that is a whole different story which I have no intention of discussing now. So the Grand Regency Hotel has been sold for at least half its’ market value BUT Muta-do? There is absolutely nothing anybody can do about it. I will use Robert Mugabe’s words to the world the other day; “they can shout as much as they want…”

The comedy in the whole Grand Regency saga was the clip local TV stations have been playing showing Kimunya denying that there was any plan to secretly sell the prestigious hotel turned public property.

Here is what the guy Chris calls a blind side winger said;

“Somebody heard it in a bar, others got it from some rumour mill (I am certain in his mind he was thinking about this exclusive Kumekucha story) and now they are talking about it with such authority as if they know what is going on.”

Very funny. Now it is clear that the “bar stories” and the “rumour mills” were 100 per cent accurate and the Finance Minister was telling lies on national TV. Muta-do?

P.S. This is precisely why ODM were dreaming when they gunned for the Finance portfolio during the Kofi Anan talks. This Grand Regency deal like the Safaricom one before it would have been impossible to pull off without Kimunya at the Treasury.

P.S. 2 Something we were discussing with Chris on the phone which I want to pass on for you to mull over this weekend. Why are some people so determined to discredit this blog and Chris’ explosive raw notes? And yet time and again the information published in both is proving to be 101% accurate. What would be the real motive?

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Grand Economic Vultures, Deception Galore

Just how much must a country stomach before her back breaks from the weight of DECEPTION? The politician may be grudgingly excused for expediency purposes but then how can you excuse one high court judge, the dragon slayer, KACC director Justice Aaron Ringera lying on oath through all spaces in his dental formula? NO, NO, NO. This is UNACCEPTABLE to have the troika of Ringera, Ndungu and Kimunya fleece Kenyan in broad day light.

Even some decorum and pretence of smartness is needed in times of grand deception. No singular word can aptly describe what this action by Kibaki through his Finance Minister Kimunya portents for Kenya. Haki you mean you can serially RAPE you own country even when already on her knees? May be Kiraitu knew something we didn’t know with his analogy of raping the willing. This sickens the stomach andleaves its contents threatening to EXPLODE. I just hope nobody pretends to defend this despicable and unforgivable act with grave and long lasting economic consequences.

You don’t engage in juvenile game of figures with a nation’s resource. Mathematics to any base never equates 2.9m to 2m even when you round off to the nearest million. So here we are LAZY mortal left to discuss the political amnesty smokescreen while brother Pattni bartered the Grand Regency for economic and judicial amnesty in the corruption courts. And AG Amos Wako provided the official government seal of approval with his trademark smile. The charge of abdication of duty and conspiracy to DEFRAUD disabuses him of the excuse to claim ignorance. May be after over 17 years of being a political AG makes him complacent and consequently sleeping on the corrupt wheel.

Economic aphrodisiacs
We attribute our failure as a nation lack of institutions but even the few that exist are run roughshod with IMPUTY. Now we understand why last years polls couldn’t have gone otherwise. The stakes were too high and the deals too SWEAT. Toss all the watchdog through the next available window. Poor Okemo! Him together with his PAC can continue retracing their circular paths inside the kraal while the horse bolted long time ago.

It appears Anglo Leasing and the Goldenberg scams were not BIG enough to sink Kenya. And the Grand Regency rip off is just the tip of a massive iceberg. Maybe the contemptuous kindergarten rider that FISHY deal would deepen relationship between Kenya and Libya is all the deceptive therapy we needed as a nation to offer our back for eternal pounding. Throw in the equally FISHY SafariCON IPO and we have the potent aphrodisiacs concoction to keep us economically and emotionally hallucinating for the next many years.

You are judged by the company you keep. First came Daudi Mwiraria whose career and reputation were smoked by the ghosts of Anglo Leasing and now Kimunya is gleefully edging for the trophy of integrating Anglo Leasing and Goldenberg both put together. And cap it all by tracing some of the most corrupt deals minted in NOSTALGIC 1970s under the reign and watch of one and only one DURY ERECTED. Folks, we are in a deep hole and the sooner we stopped digging the better otherwise Mugabe would look a saint for at least he brutalizes and rapes his people overboard.