Action Drama: The Githongo Tapes
24
January
It must be very different being a nabob in the Mwai Kibaki administration. I say this for a number of reasons. Just imagine:
- Cabinet meetings replete with pistol like shots of elderly knees, elbows and knuckles cracking like fireworks
- An atmosphere thick with the smell of Kiwi shoe polish, the ultimate victor over grey hair
- Working in an environment of such a proliferation of false teeth, glass eyes, false nails and even false alarms that it is necessary to have a comprehensive checklist
- Working with ministers who have the vague suspicion that the Internet is used to catch Interfish
Few things are as amusing as three fellows launching an initiative for the youth, when said three fellows have a collective experience of a quarter a millennium between them. Fellows whose ID numbers are as follows: 0000001, 0000002 and 0000003.
I’d especially hate to be a nabob in that particular administration now, an administration that goes from strength to strength when it comes to never missing opportunities to miss opportunities. Bill Clinton was undoubtedly a popular US president who left a legacy in many ways, good and bad. Even the most junior politician with the intelligence quotient of a bowl of soup learnt in the wake of Linda Tripp and Monica “DNA” Lewinsky affair that folks have a nasty habit of leaving tape recorders on during discussion of the most interesting topics.
And with the proliferation of high powered, sophisticated technology to disseminate content such as Winamp, and bandwidth friendly audio formats such as mp3s, such content can make its way to the desktops, laptops, ipods and blank CDs at your favourite CD pirating cybercafe.
It is such a scenario that confronts the hapless NARC regime. The rapt attention that Kenyans hold 24 and Prison Break is nothing to that they have for The Githongo Tapes.
If you want to experience the felling that is going through fellows whose job titles includes the word “Minister”, just imagine yourself riding a violent horse bareback while wearing yellow y-fronts filled with coarse sand while your mother, the woman you’re trying to convince you’re Mr Right and 30 of your high school classmates who considered you the laughing stock of the century watch on howling in amusement.
Just last week, Smilin’ Amos Wako, he of the 60 teeth, rather pompously declared that Kiraitu Murungi and David Mwiraria had been cleared of attempting to cover up the Anglo Leasing scandal.
The news must have come as a welcome relief to Kiraitu Murungi. I can picture him now putting down the anthology of his truly atrocious poetry (poetry that when read out loud makes you want to hold the top of your head to keep it from exploding) upon receiving the welcome news. I can also picture his shoulders shaking, his teeth coming out to play as he laughs even harder than he did shortly after he told a stunned nation that donor behavior was like raping a woman who was already willing.
David Mwiraria must have been no less relieved at the news. Climbing onto the pavement from the road with the aid of climbing gear, and minding that he does not get stepped on by passing reporters, it is easy to picture him, colour clashing cap on his head, giving thanks.
Smilin’ Wako is still smiling his smile (and small children are being kept busy to count all his teeth) when “Sheriff” John Githongo drops the bomb, about the size of the one Walker Bush is trying to find in Eye-Raq.
Mwiraria: Mmm..
Githongo: My initial thinking…[Interrupted by Mwiraria]
Mwiraria: No! no! Bwana Githongo..
Githongo: Mmm..
Mwiraria: Hii kitu…(This thing)
Githongo: Mmm..
Mwiraria: If we are not careful..
Githongo: Mmm…
Mwiraria: Will come down with our Government…..
Githongo: Mmm..
Mwiraria: What I am suggesting..
Githongo: Mmm…
Mwiraria: Why don’t you…
Githongo: Mmm..
Mwiraria: and Anti-Corruption, and I am saying this in your presence Mweshimiwa (Honorable, referring to Kiraitu)…
Githongo: Mmm..
Mwiraria: drop this matter…
Githongo: Mmm..
Mwiraria: I will get..
Githongo: Mmm…
Mwiraria: to the root of the matter, I will find out who it is..
Githongo: Mmm…
Mwiraria: in my own way?
Githongo: Mmm…
Mwiraria: Ya… I have not appraised it?but I will find out exactly…ya…that information.
Githongo: Mmm…
Mwiraria: We start harassing Ojiambo…ya….
Githongo: Mmm…
Mwiraria: you never know…
Githongo: What he might say..
Mwiraria: What he might say..and who else…
Githongo: he will pick on…
Mwiraria: he will pick on…and who he will go down with Anglo Leasing…..
….Kiraitu: Mmm…He was released?
Githongo: He was released, yes.
Mwiraria: Was he held?!
Githongo: He was held….he was arrested…he was officially arrested yesterday…at around four o’clock until he was released at nine in the evening.
Kiraitu: Did he record a statement?
Githongo: Emm…I do not think so…
Mwiraria: Did he give you any information?….Why don’t we do this Mweshimiwa (Honourable, [to Kiraitu]…
Kiraitu: Mmm?
Mwiraria: …as I said…I wrote a memo ? which is interesting… You know when I came…and we talked here…. nilipigia Magari (I called Magari, the Treasury PS) …there is a day I came from Kampala and I found Magari had just gone to the PAC (Parliamentary Accounts Committee) and he had said he knew Anglo Leasing so when I went back, I told you why I talked to H.E (His Excellency), H.E wanted information before I went back…asked for information…I got the contract, I went through it, and the memo to H.E. ….And H.E. agreed that you should try and get back the money. So I found out from my officers who know where the other money had come from… I didn’t even ask them to give me the names. So I said, go and see them?tell them…. tunataka hio ingine (we want that other stuff)…the money is now in the Central Bank. It has been returned now.
Kenyans listened with rapt attention as a trusted Minister of the Kibaki administration attempted to convince the Anti-Corruption czar to drop his investigations.
The actual interview needs to be listened on tape to appreciate its full hilarity. Mwiraria sounds like a embarrassed small boy who is an unwilling audience of an embarrassed talk about the birdies and the bees from an even more unwilling father.
Kenyans looking for NARC to guide this country out of the morass of corruption have about the same chances of success as Israelites would have had if they wanted Pharaoh to lead them out of Egypt.
Hollow promises to ruthlessly prosecute corruption continue to echo 5 years after Kibaki bellowed his determination to pursue the corrupt to the end. We were promised there were no sacred cows but at present cabinet meetings are routinely punctuated with a series of mooing and lowing.
In the cabinet right now sit two cabinet ministers tainted by corruption, as well as our smug Vice President, under whose docket the passports scandal squarely fell.
A commission was created to pursue the corrupt, and Justice Aaron Ringera, who repeatedly claims that he will be indefatigable in the pursuit of the corrupt, has put his skills to indefatigably pursue the wind. For this we pay the man 2.4 million shillings. Question: can Ringera investigate his way out of a paper bag?
We await the next episode of the series with bated breath
PIC OF THE DAY
The Logo we know. The name …
Ciara - Promise
1. rip
(3 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 12:55 am
sorry for the out-of-topic comment. Just checking if comments work
2. VituVingiSana
(175 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 1:01 am
Same shit, different day!
The shameless vultures (apologies to the real vultures) are at it again without any fear or remorse…
I thought 2002 was a new era… as Gado says… Its an error…
I am going to cry myself to sleep!
3. VituVingiSana
(175 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 1:13 am
In spite of all these tapes & revelations… I have a strong feeling that the current crop of crooks will be back.
Why am I so pessimistic… Nigeria… for those who have not read Chinua Achebe’s “A Man of the People”… nothing like the present!
Kenya is divided on tribal lines, yes… we deny it but except for a minority including Githongo, myself & 10% of voting age Kenyans…
Most - not all - of the ‘merit’ voters live in Nairobi & other major towns.
The Diasporans cannot vote. The youth being denied IDs can’t vote. Just as dan ‘idiot’ moi denied thousands the chance to vote through the slow issuance of IDs, so is kibz & co doing the same.
The key to elections lies in the rural areas where the ‘big man’ is king even if he/she is a thief. Sadly… (most of) Central will vote in kibz, Nyanza will follow Raila… it matters little to them as to the performance of these politicians.
We need new blood but the machine is vicious, it takes the clean & muddies them fast. Githongo has no choice but to live in the UK lest he be killed if he visited Kenya.
We are no better than in klepto wa ngengi’s days when the likes of Pio Gama Pinto, JM Kariuki & Tom Mboya were killed for dissent.
4. Sarah
(39 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 1:44 am
This is sad… sad, sad! But M, this is wrong, just wrong.. “just imagine yourself riding a violent horse bareback while wearing yellow y-fronts filled with coarse sand”
5. mogi yusuf
(2 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 2:55 am
Mwiraria: I will get…to the root of the matter, I will find out who it is…
Mwiraria: Ya… I have not appraised it……..but I will find out exactly…ya…that information.
I support any efforts to fight corruption wherever and whenever it occurs….what I don’t support it the deliberate scape-goating and politicising of the fight against corruption.
This position is obviously because it has been proven in the past around the world and in Kenya, that scape-goating and politicizing of the fight against corruption has the opposite effect, in that, it actually enables the true perpetrators of corruption to get away with it or in fact allows then to “cleanse “themselves by pretending to be the new defenders against corruption.
Corruption does fights back, and the best way to do so is to in fact, accuse your accuser of the same vice.
With this in mind we all have to make a concerted effort to fight the real war on corruption, not on rumours, not on innuendo, not on selective memory, not on political accusations but on cold hard facts.
Without this cold hard facts our fight against corruption will be fruitless because this rumours, innuendo and false accusations will not hold any water in any court an will only result in futile courts case that are immediately thrown out due to lack of evidence. This witch hunts are not only is a waste of public funds, but also waste important time and resources for investigating and prosecuting the real corruption perpetrators.
It is form this prism, that I look at the recent Githongo tape and the statements made above in them by the then Minister of Finance David Mwiraria. After all the hoopla that Githongo has caused over the last two years about having in contrivable taped evidence against Mwiraria and others, when I heard of the release of this tape I was happy to see what the smoking gun was. My happiness soon turned to anger, that by the time I was through listening to the tape and reading the transcripts I realized that we have been bamboozled, we have been hoodwinked, we have been cheated out of the fight against corruption and we have been in fact helping in the “cleansing “ of the real perpetrators of corruption.
It is then, that I realized that Githongo was not the hero many think he is, he is in fact leading the charge in misdirecting us from the real fight against corruption to side shows that increasing smack of vengeance or political/personal vendettas or even worse as others have suggested, deliberate political manipulation for the benefit of foreign interests.
How else can I not think otherwise when Mwiriaria comments on this tape clearly stating “I will get…to the root of the matter, I will find out who it is…” is construed to be a criminal offence or even an attempt to cover-up the issue. Mwiriaria was the Minters of Finance for gods sake. Who better in the world could possible be able to get this information. The fact that Githongo claims that this implies guilt on the part of Mwiraria in the Anglo leasing scandal is beyond me and clearly shows that Githongo is in fact deliberately trying to mislead us.
Another important discrepancy in Githongo version of events was that he was asked to drop the Anglo leasing investigations. First as we all know he was not an investigator, he was an adviser to the president. This is crucial in determine the legal culpability of whether there was any interference in the investigations.
So if Githongo does not have the legal designation of an investigator, in Kenya that is the job of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, then can Mwiriaria’s suggestions be considered blocking an investigation.
However that is really a side issue, because if we analysis what Mwiriaria said he was in fact asking Githongo not to stop the general investigation on the Anglo-leasing scandal but to stop harassing Ojiambo the lawyer. Here is a recap of what Mwiraria said…
Mwiraria:
What I am suggesting… Why don’t you… drop this matter… I will get… to the root of the matter, I will find out who it is.. but… if we continue this way… we start harrassing Ojiambo…
Again as we all know the taped conversation was all really about how Ojiambo the lawyer was arrested for carrying out legal instructions from the owners of Anglo-Leasing, the company. It is clear that the issue Mwiraria is asking Githongo to drop is the harassing on Ojiambo and not the general investigation into Anglo-leasing. In fact as he points out he himself was going to “will get… to the root of the matter, I will find out who it is..”.
We also know of the Attorney/client privilege, where are lawyer legally cannot be compelled to divulge info on his client. Arresting a lawyer to do so is about as illegal a violation to this privilege. So Mwiriaria had legal merit in asking Githongo to stop harassing Ojiambo.
If Githongo wants us to believe that this is cold hard evidence of Mwiriaria’s guilt then he obviously must think we are retarded. It now seems to me that what really Githongo wanted was to bring down some big fish in the govt, if not the govt itself even though they were not the real perpetrators of the criminal corruption acts, but simply as examples, for whatever reason he may have. But the end result is that by doing so he has in fact politicised the war against corruption by doing so and made us loose focus on the real fight.
A good example of this is when was the last time you heard about the Anglo-leasing court case against the Magari, the PS, Ministry of Finance who signed the contracts on behalf the Ministry of Finance or the PS, Immigration, who negotiated and signed the contracts on behalf of Ministry of Home Affaires or the Legal Counsel from the AG’s office who provided the legal approval of the deal. These are the real people who negotiated the Anglo-leasing passport contract and approved and signed the contracts. These are the accounting officers responsible for financial management of the ministries and who recommended to their respective Ministers that the deals would be beneficial to the country.
The parliamentary investigations report in to the Anglo-leasing scandal stated that the PSs and Lawyer did in fact commit fraud and should be persecuted, even if they already had been and their cases were already pending in court. Nevertheless the same authors of that report still maintain that the govt. had done nothing about prosecuting the Anglo-leasing perpetrators.
You would think that there would be huge interest in how these cases are going, but the media hardly ever reports any. Instead what we hear lots of is Githongo shouting to the roof tops from the UK of his full proof evidence, which are in fact turn out to be neither proof or even helpful in revelling the truth.
We also here lots from opposition figures who themselves have been deeply involved in corruption while in KANU and who were also involved in other Anglo-leasing type contracts shout and scream that the govt is doing nothing to persecute the Anglo-leasing scandal. According to them the persecuting the people who actually negotiated and signed the contracts is doing nothing. To me it is blunt politicising of the war on corruption with some help from Githongo.
To many of these opposition figures, this is the opportunity to “cleanse” themselves from their current and past corruption activities and to pretend to be the our new saviours and the champions against corruption. Its now obvious that their plans have indeed succeeded in doing so, because as you are all aware, a number of them are campaigning to be Kenya’s next president. Yet their corrupt pasts, seem to have now been swept under the rugged.
This is why I say now say that Githongo has played a major part in misleading us in this war on corruption, thanks to his focus on trying to get the so called big fish in the present govt.
Its is a know fact that of the 18 Anglo-leasing type contracts, 10 of them were negotiated and signed off by the KANU government. Its is also known that some of the major opposition figures now touting themselves as corruption fighters presided over these contracts such as Ruto, Mudavadi, Okemo, Ntimama, Sunkuli etc. These contracts include the first Anglo-leasing Finace contract which was the Forensic CID Lab contract and was signed on 16 August 2001, more that one year before the NARC govt took power.
Why is it that we never hear this from Githongo ?
He has made it seem that Anglo-leasing has been a purely NARC govt scandal, and as a result, has helped those opposition figures escape scrutiny for their actions involving those contracts. This has had the result of him helping to “cleanse “ these opposition figures. He has given them the ammo to further politicise the war and as a result the focus has shifted from all corruption to only recent corruption.
Githongo has further politicised the war on corruption by his selective and timely release of his “ evidence “. I always wondered why he didn’t just release all the tapes at once to the Kenyan media and leave it all out in the open for all to see and judge. Its been more than two years since he went to self exile and he has had plenty of time to do so. But instead all we get a short edited clips released on BBC and now on his blog. Why ?
Of course we the people of Kenya have played our part by using this scandal to achieve our various political ends. However, in doing so are we really fighting corruption or are we playing our part in misleading everyone else away from the truth, and the real war on corruption. Are we “cleansing” past corrupt politicians and are we supporting them to form the next govt ? Ask your self this question as Githongo should be asking himself too. Are you helping corruption fight back ?
6. muthoni
(13 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 4:01 am
i wonder what effect this will have this election year - i fear it’ll be none since our choices this year are between really bad and possibly worse …
but I’m interested with the release of the tapes does your opinion of Githongo change?
Oh yes! My opinion of the man changed when he released the last batch of his knowings on the shadowy developments at the NARC seat of power. Go Githongo!!!
7. acolyte
(177 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 5:18 am
I see a Stan of sorts has crept in from the floor boards. Moving on, we have gotten to a situation where nothing short of signed confessions, video tape, dna evidence and 1000 witnesses will get these thieves convicted.
When I get back from the States I want to work for KACA so I can blog all day, read the papers, go for long lunches and persecute traffic policemen and makangas for destroying the nation.
The Cheshire Cat’s turnaround as regards Thugging Dob and Bob was funny but sad, how a bumbling idiot can have a position of such power never fails to amaze me.
But at least at the end of the day, thanks to the Githongo tapes we know who those milking Kenya dry are. The more things change, the more they stay the same especially if these geriatrics and their cronies remain in office.
Ah that reminds me, the morons at nation couldn’t even get the url of Githongo’s blog right. Don’t people check these things before they go live?
I think that pic is of the generic model from India.
8. Ichiena
(15 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 7:39 am
M - right on point. I was amused until i came to a certain commentator and felt like throwing my laptop through the window!!
Since when did KACC’s job fall under the docket of the Ministry of Finance. And there’s a certain prism that somehow makes this sound right? Oh, and just because A started the stealing B stealing is less a crime!?!?!? How! Haki, words fail me.
Actually i like Githongo’s piecemeal delivery. Me thinks if he’d released everything from the word go, the ostriches would have buried their kiwid heads in the sand like they always do, and election year we’d be back to no-mo-business of good governance. I am trying to figure if there will be another cabinet reshuffle and whether the next hiatus will be short enough for them to return to office before elections.
9. sidaki
(51 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 8:46 am
It’s what I have come to expect from these guys. Although they always seem to go lower than any standard you set them.
10. Kafai
(1 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 9:20 am
I do believe that Githongo decided to release this information piecemeal so that this issue does not fade away from the agenda of the nation. Frankly the issue had gone to the back burner and Kibaki had thought it is safe to bring back the tarnished ministers. We need the constant reminders and damning evidence to make us see who it is who we really want to vote in.
11. prousette
(139 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 11:02 am
The claim that Githongo was not a licensed investigator therefore his evidence is not admissible, does not wash.
If you catch a thief you should expose him no matter what your job description is.
Internet is used to catch interfish?
12. Patrick Gathara
(38 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 11:41 am
“In the cabinet right now sit two cabinet ministers tainted by corruption, as well as our smug Vice President, under whose docket the passports scandal squarely fell.”
Actually, three if you count George Saitoti.
Funny how these things have a way of snowballing. Now Prof. Anyang’ Nyongo is threatening to reveal what he knows on Anglo-Leasing from his days as Planning Minister and member of the Cabinet committee on corruption.
13. Ms K
(126 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 1:33 pm
Heh heh what!! Yaani someone condense what that guy up there said. Ati what?
Anyway, imagine the situation Kenyans are in. On one hand, the Narc Hyenas, fresh from the bath, with a spiffy change of clothes (Narc-K), and on the other hand, the KANU vultures, with a fresh coat of pain and a bunch of new carrion-eating fellows.
Tutaenda wapi? Tutafanya nini?
God bless Kenya tundu, me I am at a loss!!!
14. Ms K
(126 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 1:36 pm
Paint obviously, and ODM-K, obviously. Its lunch time, what can i say?
15. alexcia
(14 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
M
seems to me from listening to the tapes that this Mwiriaria is the guy who got some of our money back.
1) As minister of Finance that gentleman appended his signature to a dodgy contract. Excuses that he did not know what he was signing do not hold any water with me. Then why, pray tell, is he there?
2) If you steal, or allow to be stolen, money while it is under your watch, organizing its return when your hand is caught in the jar is not enough!
I don’t think the goon in the cabinet right now would do the same
16. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
It seems Githongo couldn’t stand the heat in the kitchen following comments on his blog. He has now taken down the comments and the audio but its already too late . He wasn’t expecting the backlash he received on his comments . what kind of hero runs when the heat is turned up . anyway i liked one of the comments
Why John Githongo prefers to be a slave for his White Masters.
John Githongo has been called a British spy, and accused of working for his British Masters. There is no denying that Githongo is fed and clothed by the British and he works for them. The question is why and when did Githongo’s relationship with the British start. Also in what capacity was Githongo working for the British before fleeing to Britain.Every time Githongo brings up some charges against the Kenya government they are taken up and amplified by the British establishment tools like the Financial times and Edward Clay. In Kenya the Standard which is partly owned by British Interests acts like Githongo’s local megaphone. Githongo’s tirades appear to be timed to be in concert with British pressure on the Kenya government to toe the British line. There is no doubt that Githongo is an integral part of a British offensive against the Kenya government the only question is why?
The emergence of China and Kenya’s dalliance with the Asian Giant is causing some anxiety in Britain they see china as encroaching on their sphere of influence. Kibaki has further cut the enslavement chains that bind Kenya to Britain by reducing reliance on donors to fund the Kenyan budget. Kenya is now relying on local taxes to fund 95% of the budget. The British establishment is seeing the demise of its neocolonial empire in Africa which had Kenya as the crown jewel . British firms can no longer make the Kenyan government, President or Ministers do their bidding. That is what Edward clay actually meant by saying “vomiting on our shoes”. Clay was expressing his disgust at the uppity Kibaki governments failure to obey his missives as the representative of Kenya’s British masters.That is the genesis of the British war on the Kibaki government. A war that was floundering as British companies continued to lose business and influence in Kenya to Asians and other rivals. Britain since indpendence has been Kenya’s leading trading partner but now ranks number 3. In desperation the British decided that they needed a regime change in Kenya and decided to use their chief intelligence asset in Kenya John Githongo. Githongo was the British mole at the heart of the Kenyan government he was deployed in an attempt to bring down the Kenyan government using accusations of corruption.Githongo had to flee because his role as a British spy was quickly uncovered and he faced imminent arrest and prosecution for passing sensitive government information to Edward clay and MI6. That is why Githongo cannot return and is in self exile but the principal investigators of Anglo Leasing never left Kenya they felt and had no need to flee.
So why did Githongo join with the British to fight the Kenyan government? Githongo is a British citizen by birth, Githongo’s family aided the British during the war for independence and were handsomely rewarded for their loyalty. Githongo therefore grew up imbued in his parents white man worship and disdain for Africans.In October of 2005 Githongo wrote an opinion piece in the East African explaining why “Why Maids Prefer White Masters” this article best illustrates why Githongo would rather be maid for his white masters.Indeed Githongo writes this words for a cook, words which clearly represents Githongo’s thinking. “I have been a cook for many years and I have seen that the only way to be treated properly is to work for a Mzungu,” the man explained. “Africans treat their workers very badly. I’ll even take a salary cut to work for you.”Githongo may have been making more money working for the government, the Financial times reports the British pay him peanuts but he would rather take peanuts from a white man than serve an African government.Many who know Githongo an unmarried 41 year old who has never had a girlfriend claim that he is a homosexual angry and frustrated at Kenya’s homophobia. Indeed western intelligence agencies are known to recruit homosexuals and other social outcast who may hold a grudge against their own societies. What clearly emerges is that Githongo is a Quisling in the service of his British masters and that must be taken into account when weighing his charges against the Kenyan government.
17. Chrenyan
(137 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
Word of the day: Nabob.
Quote of the day: “Fellows whose ID numbers are as follows: 0000001, 0000002 and 0000003.”
More seriously, I think Githongo was irked by reports that Mwiraria and Murungi had been cleared of wrongdoing, and as such he was stung into action. Now if only someone would clear Murungaru, the VP, and the rest…
menfossils would be as naive as to try and clear Christopher NdarathiFor those who would wish a summary of Mogi Yusuf’s argument, here are some of the key tenets:
“It is clear that the issue Mwiraria is asking Githongo to drop is the harassing on Ojiambo and not the general investigation into Anglo-leasing. In fact as he points out he himself was going to “will get… to the root of the matter, I will find out who it is..”.”
18. Shiroh
(34 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
NO COMMENT
19. Patrick Gathara
(38 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 5:20 pm
Joe bwana,
At least attempt a little honesty (though that’s probably too much to ask). Githongo’s blog was simply inundated by excess traffic. There is even a memo that he intends to put it back up.
Halafu, even I would work for a mzungu for peanuts if the alternative was to work for a thieving African government. It’s called integrity, a concept you and your hero-king should familiarise yourselves with.
Hebu give us a link to the East African article you refer to.
20. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
traffic even on the comments section wewe kuwa serious
21. I
(120 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 5:35 pm
ha ha ha…. internet is used to catch Interfish!!! ha!! thats hilarious…
What do they think one does with the interfish after they are caught? hmmm…
I cannot imagine listening in on that conversation btwn Githongo and Mwiraria… i think i would have to bit my finger so i get out of the conversation….
What sad times we live in…
22. Chrenyan
(137 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 5:45 pm
I predict 50+ comments…
23. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
I dont know about 50 comments but i do know githongo’s blog had almost 100 comments and lets just say the views that were expressed there made me proud.Kenyans are starting to analyze maneno for themselves .
here is just a bried fsummary
1.angloleasing is a kanu scandal
2.mwiraria,kiraitu ,murungaru are innocent (even if they are guilty it would be for obstraction of justice not theft)
3.Githongo might have been instructed to go slow because of the sensitivity of how corruption is entrenched in kenya-thats not a crime
4.Githongo was a british spy and his self exile is because of that fact
5.its clear that odm supporters wont want to hear the truth because its not the truth they are after they are after kibaki
6.No money was lost in the anglo leasing scandal since contracts were revoked
7.kibaki will still get elected in dec 07 for another 5 years
8i can promise you githongo will be arrested for treason my any means even koigi was “arrested’ in norway mark my words
24. msaniixl
(77 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 6:46 pm
1.angloleasing is a kanu scandal
and the goverment is waiting for what? persecute, investigate anything..just because it happened in the previous admin does not mean you ignore it.
2.mwiraria,kiraitu ,murungaru are innocent (even if they are guilty it would be for obstraction of justice not theft)
??? Ethics anyone? I gather to you its just case of little sin and big sin, smh
wow i just read the comment prior to this..the whole githongo is homosexual, work for the british etc..are you serious? you gotta be joking….. all of sudden the issue is what he does in his bedroom….
talk about skirting… i have smh’ed till i have no neck!
25. VituVingiSana
(175 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 6:58 pm
Joe - How much is your anglo-fleecing, kibz & narc-k retainer?
- Kanu scandal that kibz & co picked up & ran with… even though it stunk like a skunk!
- Obstruction of justice is a CRIME. So please tell your ‘masters’ to prosecute/jail them for the crime of Obstruction of Justice.
- #3 makes no sense to me. Please explain. Why go slow on thieves? What were they afraid of?
- He is alive because he is in the UK. Ask kibz what he did when Ouko was MURDERED? Others that were MURDERED while kibz & his ilk were in power include Pinto, Kariuki & Mboya.
- Screw ODM. Even Githongo acknowledged ODM are probably just as dirty. I want TRUTH not ODM or any other silly re-arranging of letters.
- #6. Are you an IDIOT?
- #7. That is probably true but a pitiable truth.
- What treason? It is not Githingo who has committed treason! Questioning moi & sons thieving was considered treason by THEM not by Kenyans.
Go Githongo Go!
26. Mocha!
(29 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
LOL @ DM’s height. Talk of mchongoano!!! TIHIHIHIHIHI!
As for these tapes…….to be honest, I am tired of the whole scandal, issues, whatumacallit!!! When are we going to see results is the question. I am dreading to think what this year’s elections will be like with this dark cloud hanging over Kenya like its about to spitting some serious showers.
Keep us(me) posted.
Now I know why I hate Kenyan politics.
As for the pic LMAO!!! That is a classic!
27. Mocha!
(29 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 7:01 pm
Where did my comment go?
If its in moderation….ooopppsss for this one!
If not…..DAMN IT!
28. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 7:35 pm
vitu vingi why do i have to be on a retainer .i am just a Kenyan who wants to see corruption end . i think mogi yusuf has explained my position and that of millions of Kenyans who are not interested in bickering.
Githongos own actions including turning off comments of his blog speak for themselves
29. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 11:15 pm
Gathara here is the link you asked for you can read more on githongo and other stories including jaboya system in odm
http://www.eastafrican1.blogspot.com/
30. I
(120 Comments) | January 25th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
This are the sad times that I speak of..
by Joe:
3.Githongo might have been instructed to go slow because of the sensitivity of how corruption is entrenched in kenya-thats not a crime
31. toiyoi
(106 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 12:43 am
This is the solution to kenya’s (and africa’s problems):
(i)Give the the country back to the Mzungu
(ii)Let all the educated africans immigrate to the west and work there under a mzungu manager
(iii) Let the rest remain and be shamba and house boys for the mzungu managers
Then there shall be irrigation and controlled flooding and agriculture and mining and clean cities and and healthcare for all and good roads and more railways and abundant food and true development and and and ….slavery and racism and apatheid and hate, but those are a small price to pay for a chance to be brought into the 21st century, not so?
32. TeeJ
(28 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 1:11 am
Githongo is smart for doing what he’s doing and if he wants to get into a ‘mysterious accident’ he should get on the next flight and go to Kenya.
I hate to say this, but at this rate I’d rather see Kibaki get another term than these other power hungry candidates running for presidency. I mean, as mps, shouldn’t they have worked their asses off to prove to us that they would make good candidates? Instead all they care about is insulting each other and drama following them everywhere they go. Just a bunch of big babies fighting all the time. Seriously, who could you possibly vote for? Maybe I’m missing something here…but I don’t see anyone that qualifies!
Me? I’d vote for a bowl of soup if it stands!
33. eastafrican
(2 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 2:45 am
Nairobi tuu! only in Nairobi dis this tape create a storm. Rural areas people are bila time for cheap politics. Thats the part you people don’t get .i am glad people like joe and the many others recognize it
making fun of kibakis age is not very intellectual actually its childish .only a fool makes fun of the old because he thinks he wont grow old or that his grandparents are not old
the tape oofers no new evidence arguing about it is foolish .listen to the tapes ———stop think ———-listen again stop —-rewind ——-listen think again —–no new evidence
34. Patrick Gathara
(38 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 4:37 am
Joe,
Since the link you give has nothing to do with the East African publication, I will retort with one of my own: http://bp0.blogger.com/_IbATycbsO68/RbiuIbgdjCI/AAAAAAAAABY/ItwDAOpmK_8/s1600-h/obaks-bout.jpg
35. Patrick Gathara
(38 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 4:50 am
Hey M,
Seems my comment disappeared as well. Si utulize hiyo spam catcher jo!
Joe,
What makes you think obstruction of justice is any better than theft?
As for the bogus link, puhleeez! I did not see Githongo’s supposed article there. Here’s a linkfor you.
36. Patrick Gathara
(38 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 5:18 am
M,
My comment has been zapped twice.
Joe,
What makes you think that obstruction of justice is any better than outright theft?
As for the bogus link you supplied, I have put this cartoon on my blog just for you. Enjoy!
37. Chrenyan
(137 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 8:58 am
I would just like to respond to the argument that Anglo-Leasing is a KANU scandal.
***************************
Prosecution: So you were saying?
Defendant: I didn’t do anything wrong.
Prosecution: How so?
Defendant: In walking past the said mansion, early in the month of January, 2005, I found a ladder leaning against the wall of the compound…
Prosecution: A ladder?
Defendant: Yes!
Prosecution: Who had placed the ladder there?
Defendant: My predecessor!
Prosecution: Then what did you do?
Defendant: I climbed the ladder over the wall into the compound…
Prosecution: YOU DID?
Defendant: Yes!
Prosecution (puzzled): Proceed!
Defendant: I then went ahead and quietly looted billions of shillings…
Prosecution (leaning forward): WHAT?!
Defendant (calmly): Indeed.
Prosecution: Did you or did you not enter a plea of “Not Guilty”?
Defendant (proudly): I did!
Judge: I fail to see how your admissions compare with your plea of “Not Guilty”.
Defendant: Your Honor, I am most decidedly not guilty. This day my conscience is free from blemish. In my heart of hearts, I am insensate to the presence of either spot, nor wrinkle. The fault of this grand theft lies squarely at the door of my predecessor…
Prosecution: Why?
Defendant: Your Honor, my predecessor committed the heinous, scandalous, morally reprehensible crime of leaving me a ladder, primely positioned for theft! I had no choice in the matter! No other course of action lay open to me! My hands were tied! The die, your Honor, was irretrievably, irreversibly cast! What else could I do?
***************************
You be the jury.
38. Jogoo wa Shamba
(73 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 10:39 am
@chrenyan - And jury i will be….
Good one though, you couldn’t have put it any better.
Me thinks it doesn’t matter if the shady deals were inherited from the KANU govt. However What concerns me most is that when these dimwits took over, they just continued from where their predecessors left off. They had the power to nip it from the bud… but alas!! the cookies in the jar must have been irresistible
@Joe -
39. SaHaRa
(1 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 2:10 pm
40. alexcia
(14 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 3:25 pm
@ M, you said
>1) As minister of Finance that gentleman appended his signature to a dodgy contract. Excuses >that he did not know what he was signing do not hold any water with me. Then why, pray tell, >is he there?
>2) If you steal, or allow to be stolen, money while it is under your watch, organizing its return >when your hand is caught in the jar is not enough!
Let’s not get carried away here, this is Kenya we are talking about.
“Steal, or allow to be stolen” is ALL of the job description for MoF in the last 2 decades.
And i am not defending the MoF.
But give credit where credit is due. He did get some of the money back!!
Which is more than i can say for many a politicians including one Githongo and his many Mp3s!
41. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 4:21 pm
Right now i am too swamped with reports to argue with you guys about this . if obstruction of justice isnt any less of a crime, why are you out there misinforming kenyans that mwiraria stole money or murungaru or kiraitu .
i have even heard some say kibaki is in power to enrich himself .the dude is already rich he didn’t need the presidency to become rich .thats the problem with some of you folks you just don’t get it .
There is a big difference between stealing public money and being acussed of obstruction of justice.Even the law differenciates between the two .
Selective intellectualism just doesn’t work .Oversimplification of issues is pathetic
42. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Thinker clearly! Clearly you don’t expect us to believe that the tapes show that mwiraria stole money. why in the world would the president be asking to see the contracts and then ask mwiraria to get the money back.-it shows that the president did not have any knowledge about Anglo leasing
1.Yes some within state house knew about it ! and thats why people like alfred gitonga don’t have jobs now !
2.githongo has claimed that he,the president.ojiambo and mwiraria know who stole the money .why then doesn’t he just save us all this rubbish and tell us .why put out tapes about irrelevant discussion if he knows who stole the money just tell us
3. the laughter in the tape about money being returned by both mwiraria and githongo to me is telling they both know who returned the cash so if mwiraria doesn’t want to say then githongo since he has given himself the moral high chair should tell kenyans
but you see their lies the matter githongo is not interested in exposing anglo leasing his interest is to bring down the kibaki government for his British masters . if his interest is fighting corruption expose the names and show all evidence .why broadcast half tapes that nobody can authenticate .
lets not forget that HALF THRUTH’S ARE LIES
43. Ichiena
(15 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
I’ve heard/ read so much of,
“He did get the money back” it’s amusing. Even sad. Would he have retrieved it if Kenyans had not realized it was missing in the first place? And so he got it back. What has he done to get the rest? Or to bring to justice those who had taken it anyway?
“This is Kenya we are talking about”. So should we all sit back and do nothing about it? The sky is the limit for my hopes for Kenya. I don’t want to set limits and settle for less. I surely hope that there are more people with the same attitude.
44. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
if we all had githongo’s interests “self interest” /Foreign sponsored interests Kenya will never develop.
we are so short sighted that now we think the alternative to this government is the return of old kleptomaniacs, panga wielders and shameless power hungry coup plotters .Is this the development you keep asking us to join in ?
A return to the blood stained panga’s of Ntimama,the lustful violations of sunkuli’s in public offices and the filthy dirty hands of ruto. shame on you ! a big shame shame on you all
shame on you have you forgotten that this same people killed and looted Kenya! the culprits of anglo leasing are known the british government knows who registered the company .kanu set up the bogus payoffs mwiraria did not sign any documents .alfred gitongo and co tried to channel the cash but got caught .kibaki fired them
WHAT IN HEAVEN WORLD DO YOU PEOPLE WANT -THIS IS A NONE ISSUE THE ECONOMY HAS GROWN AT 6% YOUR KIDS ARE GOING TO SCHOOL FOR FREE JOBS HAVE BEEN CREATED
iT DOESN’T MEAN THAT MORE CANT BE DONE -MAYBE IF YOU PEOPLE STOP ALL THIS TRIVIAL RUBBISH YOU KEEP PUTTING US THROUGH THE ECONOMY WOULD HAVE GROWN BY 10%
You all make me sick
45. AK
(5 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Githongo has to keep them erstwhile thieves on toes. If what he knows was inadmissible, the culprits wouldn’t be so worried about it.
46. msaniixl
(77 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 8:43 pm
WE make you sick???…. don’t rapture a vain sparky
because we DEMAND better? because we demand idiots act like leaders?
Don’t promise people the WORLD ..if you know you don’t have the capacity.
47. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
i surely need a bucket before i vomit on msanii’s shoes . who are you calling an idiot .msaniii do you even have an understanding of how law or politics works .you are just a clear example of what i am talking about .
ok msanii since you are the guru in law and politican grandmaster . tell us .
1what shall we charge mwiraria with ?and what evidence do u have to support the charge
2since you seem to know everthing about anglo leasing lets hear your synopsis of what went down
Tell us so that we know ! msanii reading standard newspaper reports and watching ktn news does not make you a political or law pundit.for that you need an advanced degree in law or policy so i suggest before you go calling people idiots that check yourself into an institution of higher learning . otherwise stick to being a DJ and playing music we all know you dont need brain cells to do that
48. msaniixl
(77 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 10:11 pm
excuse me mr. political officionado I should/will seek your permission next time i engage in anything politics…*smh*
Figuring this is not about me…no need for me to ruin a good discussion.
I never called you an idiot…If a person in office does not have as much sense as to act ethically he gets branded an idiot. Now which office is this that you are in charge of again? who are you leading?
are you that much of numbskull you are turning an issue about abuse of our institutions…to such trivial matters as me being “dj”.
p.s. Shouldn’t you be in a pulpit somewhere? or in someone’s blog spamming?
p.p.s apologies M for this supid sideshow, apparently punditry is needed before i lurch into some disscusions.
49. JOE
(11 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
This is the problem we have in kenya. dont they teach english comprehesion anymore.maybe we should open gumbaru classes ..who said you called me an idiot .go read your post then mine then come back and ask your question .
its this same kind of jumping the gun i am talking about .that reads the transcripts from the githongo tapes and concludes that mwiraria stole money or asked githongo to drop the whole angloleasing investigation.when the tape is about fred ojiambo and mwiraria telling githongo to stop his uchokozi against ojiambo .
i have said it again and i will say it again selective intellectualism is ujinga of the highest order .
some of you rush here to post comments yet you dont even know a thing about client attorney privilage that prevented ojiambo from telling who his clients were .others dont even understand the state securities act and how it applies to githongo handing over documents to the british high commissioner .Or sections of the Oaths and Statutory Declarations in kenyan law that githongo violated .you cant wish away this hard facts so before you post comments calling others idiots atleaste have your facts right . attend some gumbaru classes or just plainly tell us you want kibaki out for your own reasons stop hiding behind the issue of wanting a better kenya .We all want a better kenya but we have to get it in the right way . we cant violate laws in the name of justice .
50. msaniixl
(77 Comments) | January 26th, 2007 at 11:23 pm
I shudder at the thought(with disgust i may add) I have bumped into you on 702 or 695.
if you can admit that they blocked the course of justice why is it hard for you to figure why i’m calling them idiots my extremely learned friend?
you have such nerve talking about gumbaru this gumbaru that..with your grammer all over, maybe you skipped that verse about specks and such in your bibilia?
51. Patrick Gathara
(38 Comments) | January 27th, 2007 at 12:05 am
Joe,
Perhaps it is more likely that the economy would have grown by 10% if the government wasn’t so busy stealing from its citizens.
If Githongo has broken any laws then he should be prosecuted for that. However I am yet to hear of an extradition request from the Kenyan government to the British. In fact, the Kenyan authorities went all the way over there to interview this supposed traitor, not about his supposedly treacherous behaviour, but about the allegations he made. That leads me to think that allegations of treason are just hogwash. And even assuming Githongo’s guilt, surely going after him and ignoring the behaviour of senior government Ministers in this affair is straining the gnat and swallowing the camel.
Mwiraria himself admitted to signing the documents so your branding others ignorant is a case of the pot calling the kettle black.
Alexcia,
I must say I am surprised by your take on this. Githongo hasn’t signed away any of our cash (as far as I know anyway) but you judge him as worse than Mwiraria who has. That the latter got back the money may be a factor when deciding his punishment (one that doesn’t carry too much weight with me seeing as he only did so when he was caught), but it does not negate the initial crime.
52. VituVingiSana
(175 Comments) | January 27th, 2007 at 1:26 am
M - some housekeeping issues… why is my blog not linked???
I might have to ask joe call his masters in the state house to make a visit!
I am sure the current crop of geezers are waiting for a chance to ‘ban’ the internet! Fortunately for us the cat is out of the bag esp with Celtel & Safaricom having their own gateways instead of the pathetic Jambonet.
Joe - Look into yourself. No-one hates kibz as a person (I think he is a far better person than dan ‘idiot’ moi) BUT he has squandered our goodwill to REFORM the government.
Forget KANU’s misdeeds… it was the continuation of these misdeeds that GALLS Kenyans! I don’t care about ODM but we want TRANSPARENCY. It is our money. It is our lives. It is our kids’ lives.
I value my life or my child’s life over anyone else’s & that includes kibz. So STOP stealing food & medicines from me & mine. PERIOD.
53. Udi
(76 Comments) | January 29th, 2007 at 5:24 am
M- So on point. I dont even understand why people are trying to over analyse the case at hand. This is not a he say she say matter. The fools were caught on tape. Why people are vigrously defending them makes me puzzled especially since the crooks themselves know opening their mouths would be throwing themselves from the pan into the fire.
54. Chrenyan
(137 Comments) | January 29th, 2007 at 11:08 am
1. From Patrick:
Perhaps it is more likely that the economy would have grown by 10% if the government wasn’t so busy stealing from its citizens.
Now that is what I call a trenchant argument.
2. “Mwiraria did not sign any documents”? Now that’s about as selective as it gets…
55. I
(120 Comments) | January 29th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Kibaki in my view needs to go.. and for only one reason.. he has not even begun to keep the promise he made TO BE elected, TACKLE CORRUPTION.
Iregardless of how many Jobs have been created and how many kids are going to school for free, this things would have come to Kenyas anyway if corrption is eradicated.
So no, dude does not deserve a pat on the back neither does he deserve to be congratulated.. he still NEEDS to take care of what he was elected to take care of.. and if he cannot do that, he needs to let someone else who can.
PS… O
56. I
(120 Comments) | January 29th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
P.S One can never have enuff money.. we all keep wanting more…
57. joe
(78 Comments) | January 29th, 2007 at 9:48 pm
LOL.. lets not argue for the sake of arguing the tapes dont say anything .Ask any lawyer .most of you are basing your convictions on other unrelated pieces of information from elsewhere and deep assumptions that you have .those tapes could be about anything angloleasing isnt even mentioned in the tapes .
Its like this kibaki is hear to stay. like it or not we are going to have another 5 years of the man . those of you who dont like it too bad for you .the next 5 years are going to be very sad for you . you can keep talking .philosophizing ,complaining ,insulting whimparing lakini its 5 more years Get with the program
6% economic grown,free education ,healthcare ,500k jobs plus 16% growth in agriculture,growth in tourism and all sectors of kenyan life .5 more years people 5 more years .those who feel they cant stand it uganda will be glad to have you but in kenya its kibaki mpaka 2012
58. mogi yusuf
(2 Comments) | January 30th, 2007 at 3:29 am
Why Githongo tapes fail legal test
http://www.timesnews.co.ke/30jan07/nwsstory/opinion2.html
59. alexcia
(14 Comments) | January 30th, 2007 at 9:15 am
@ Gathara and Ichiena
Of course i am extremely disappointed by the goings on in my motherland. I abhor corruption in all its manifestations.
I am not trying to defend anyone here, just having an open discussion of what these tapes mean to the MWANAINCHI.
Ichiena asks “So should we all sit back and do nothing about it?”
I mean, other than write blog comments what have we actaully done? How effective was it?
At the end of the day, we still have a democracy in the country, for better or worse.
In a democracy the only institution that can effectively deal with the excesses at the top is the ballot!
This year Kenyans, ALL kenyans, will again get a chance to make their bed, and after that they will have to lie in it.
60. alexcia
(14 Comments) | January 30th, 2007 at 9:26 am
@ M
The reason i am not making a song and dance about this latest twist is that it is not NEWS - to me atleast-!!!
I am not surprised- but still very disappointed- with what is going on in Kenyan politics.
The name of the game now is to get the old man out OR… or…take up American Idol
61. Open Blog: KenyaUnlimited » On Patriotism
(No Comments) | January 31st, 2007 at 12:37 am
[...] If nothing else, the ongoing sitcom we call “acting national” offers amusement. [...]
62. Mutumia
(56 Comments) | January 31st, 2007 at 6:53 pm
Me? I’m still chuckling at the poetry that you linked… ati slim buttocks and whatnots… *smh*…
PS.
Do you think that if it were not for shallow remarks like the one that I just made , our economy would have grown by at least 17.56 % (plus of minus 2 standard deviations?)
63. aegeus
(79 Comments) | February 1st, 2007 at 9:53 am
Hey M. Joining hands with Muts…on point M…as usual…great post…the comments…whichever direction…bout or not…informative…and nice new look…beautiful! Yum! yum!
64. eastafrican
(2 Comments) | February 2nd, 2007 at 2:45 am
Githongo should have been taping 10 downing blair if defacating on shoes wacha vomiting
http://www.eastafrican1.blogspot.com/
65. Sue
(12 Comments) | April 3rd, 2007 at 6:05 pm
Whatever happened to the ithongo case.. Why do court-cases take solong to get resolved?? I wonder where we’re headed for.
Whoever our next president will be, I hope they won’t scandalise like that in such a short span of time…
Sometimes I feel like hama-ing Kenya…