Comments on: Could hotel scandal threaten Kenya’s government?

By: Wilbert Mukori

Wilbert Mukori — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:18:25 +0000

Now one can see why PM Raila Odinga did not want to be a part of Government of National Unity and be yoked together with the corrupt old guard. The whole idea of a GNU is nonsense, if President Kibaki was judged capable of forming his own administration and ruled Kenya what right does he have to say Raila Odinga can not do the same? The people of Kenya, by voting for Raila Odinga, clearly thought him a better leader than Kibaki.

It must be really frustrating for PM Raila Odinga that key ministries like finance are held by others over whom he has no control. I am sure he had his own vision and plans but now finds he is being held back!

By: Mohamed Ebrahim

Mohamed Ebrahim — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 18:22:38 +0000

Lets put this into the right perspective. The luxury hotel was recovered by the Central Bank of Kenya under the amnesty for returning proceeds of corruption act from the perperator of the so called “Goldenberg scandal” in consideration for immunity. The Kenya government needs money NOW to as the economy was brought to its knees after the Post election violence and it is expected that there will be a shortfall in tax collection this year. Plus additional funds for settling the internal displaced and oversised Grand Coalition government. The government through the finance minister Mr Amos Kimunya had to find ways to fund this deficit, hence the sale of saleable non-strategic assets.

As concerns the valuation in my opinion is fair considering the downgrading due to political uncertainity in the country. Its a high risk country. The higher valuations could have been possible if the country had no post election violence.

The differential amounts are due to the deal being done in US dollar hence subject to currency fluctuations between the time of signing the agreement and the time of receiving the money. The Kenya shilling streghtened against the dollar, not that the lower Kenya Shillings amount received was due to corruption.

The minister is a scrapegoat for the sins of the entire nation, who’s main past time is grandstanding, hypocrisy and greed. Mr Amos Kimunya acted in the best interest of the nation in selling to a willing party with the cash.

There are vested interests at play the main ones being;
1) Taxing of MP’s Allowances hence the fury of Kenya’s parliamentrians across the political divide.
2) The Kibaki succession in Central Kenya (Amos Kimunya was in my opinion the best potential candidate)
3) The ODM side wishing to discredit the PNU side. (If the Prime Minister had been briefed on the deal and If he had any integrity he should have told Hon Kimunya to follow the law in selling the hotel, not demanded answers in public after the deal)
4) The buyers were Libyans hence this unsettles vested interests in certain quaters.

By: Deeznia

Deeznia — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 18:43:31 +0000

Ideally, all who are involved or benefited from the sale that is turning out to be another scandal should be brought to book. Whether this will happen or not remains to be seen. Why? Like the post said, they are all politically connected and as a result even those in the probe comittees compromised. How can they be impartial if connected to those in Kenya’s corridors of power?
Senseless. Don’t think all the noise will bear much fruit and neither will the probe comittees.