Kenya’s Finance minister quits over hotel saga
Posted by African Press International on July 9, 2008
Story by DAVE OPIYO and REUTERS
Kenya’s Finance Minister Amos Kimunya has quit over the controversial sale of a luxury hotel at the centre of Nairobi.
Mr Kimunya called a Press conference and issued a brief statement, saying: “I have requested President Kibaki to be allowed to step aside to facilitate an inquiry into this matter.”
At the same time, police have beat up and arrested a group of activists who were meeting to plan protests against Mr Kimunya’s handling of the Grand Regency sale.
Mr Kimunya said his conscience was clean that he well managed the sale of the hotel.
“I’ve held several consultations with President Kibaki, my family, friends and colleagues on Grand Regency. My conscience is very clean on the role of the Treasury and specifically myself on this matter. I am open to an independent inquiry to prove my innocence,” he told reporters.
Earlier, police stormed a Nairobi restaurant and arrested a number of civil society activists who were planning demonstrations against Mr Kimunya over the sale.
The group, meeting under the aegis of Name and Shame Coalition Against Corruption, had gathered at the city’s Garden Square restaurant adjacent to the Kenyatta International Conference Centre when riot and regular police in full gear stormed the venue.
It was upon seeing the uninvited guests in uniform that those in the meeting scampered for their safety.
About ten members of the civil society were arrested including Anne Njogu and Okiya Omtata.
At the weekend, Kimunya had said he would only step down over the matter if three other top government officials, including Prime Minister Raila Odinga, did the same.
Odinga, Lands Minister James Orengo and Attorney General Amos Wako have denied any wrongdoing.
Orengo has threatened to sue Kimunya, and Odinga was due to give a statement to parliament on the case later on Tuesday.
Anti-graft groups and some ministers have sharply criticised the no-bid sale of the Regency, saying it should have been public and that the hotel was worth nearer 6 billion shillings.
In its no-confidence vote last week, Kenya’s parliament accused Kimunya of ignoring public procurement laws in the sale and of contempt for parliament.
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API/Nation.ke
