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Kenya: Kimunya Did the Honourable Thing
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The Nation (Nairobi)
EDITORIAL
9 July 2008
Posted to the web 9 July 2008
Nairobi
By relinquishing his position as the minister for Finance, Mr Amos Kimunya has, even if belatedly, done the honourable thing.
His position became untenable once his role in the controversial sale of Grand Regency Hotel was called into question, culminating in Parliament passing a vote of no-confidence in him.
Mr Kimunya's exit, however, is not the end of the matter. Investigations must continue into the saga that has brought the Government into disrepute.
The investigations must be carried out swiftly and be divorced from the partisanship and political grandstanding that has informed debate within Government and Parliament since the issue broke.
It has already been indicated that Mr Kimunya has not actually resigned, only stepped aside, and that he could resume work if cleared of any wrongdoing.
So be it. But then it becomes imperative that the investigations be fair, impartial and competent so that whatever the outcome, there will be no room for accusations of either whitewash or witch-hunt.
It follows also that if the investigation establishes any wrongdoing on the part of any individual or group, then the next step must follow, including criminal prosecution, if so warranted.
Meanwhile, we must not lose sight of the fact that it is not just merely Mr Kimunya under investigation, but a deal conducted in suspicious circumstances and involving other individuals.
The Central Bank of Kenya, which owned and sold the Grand Regency, must come under particular scrutiny.
If Mr Kimunya has stepped aside because of that particular transaction, then it is only logical that Central Bank Governor Njuguna Ndung'u, follows suit.
If he will not go voluntarily, and he enjoys security of tenure, then the President will have to activate the mechanism of a tribunal to investigate his conduct.
The same applies to the Director-General of the National Intelligence Security Service, Maj-Gen Michael Gichangi, who, like the minister and the governor, was found by a Cabinet committee to have been involved in pushing the suspect deal.
The role of all others officials at the Treasury, the Central Bank, the Ministry of Lands, the Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority, and the offices of the Attorney-General, the Prime Minister and the President must also be clearly established and action taken.
Meanwhile, as the investigations continue, all persons in positions of leadership must refrain from words and actions that obscure and politicise the issue, and also present the picture of a dysfunctional government riven with feuding factions.
Schisms in Government
The Grand Regency issue threatened to cause deep schisms in Government as Cabinet ministers mobilised support from their respective political and ethnic groupings in Parliament and the Cabinet.
An important lesson from the whole saga is that the Grand Coalition government is still a very fragile institution that must be nurtured carefully at every stage lest it falls apart.
It is important that the Cabinet, which these days meets infrequently, be convened on a regular basis so that all members are fully appraised on all that is happening, and important decisions taken collectively.
It is also important that ground rules be established on the behaviour expected of ministers. They must be reminded of the need to adhere to the principle of collective responsibility.
They serve one government and not factions within; and that their loyalties are to the institution and not to individuals.
This is not to suggest that ministers must close their eyes if they discover improprieties involving their colleagues. Far from it.
The point is that there will be no one in the dark if all important matters are tabled and approved at Cabinet level.
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But even if a minister does come across an issue that needs to be raised, then this must happen at the appropriate forum and not become an opportunity for making political capital.
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