KENYA : NARC POLITICIAN IS LINKED TO ARMENIANS

African News Dimension, South Africa
March 15 2006

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) yesterday linked a Narc politician
to a press conference by two former Soviet bloc foreigners Langata
MP Raila Odinga describes as mercenaries.

And the movement accused the Government of providing state security
to Mr Artur Sargsyan and Mr Artur Margaryan, who they claimed were
“international criminals.”

Mr Odinga claimed he had information that arrangements for the Press
conference at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport were carried
out by the politician’s personal assistant.

In a move that added more mystery to the saga behind the two Armenians,
the former Roads minister claimed Mr Sargsyan, who had been said to
have flown into the country a few minutes before the Press conference,
was in fact in the country.

Vehicles guarded

He claimed Mr Sargsyan and Mr Margaryan were chauffeured to JKIA in
two GK vehicles guarded by two outriders to conduct “a stage-managed
press conference.”

On reaching JKIA, Mr Odinga alleged that they were sneaked in through
Gate 1 and later disguised to appear as if they had just landed in
the country before addressing the Press conference.

The Langata MP claimed journalists were locked in a room as
arrangements for the stage-managing the press conference were going
on. All media houses, except the Nation Media Group, were invited to
the event.

“Even if you have flown in a jet, you must have small luggage. You
cannot just walk as if you are from a bar,” he said and asked:
“Why this shadowy way of doing things?” “Even the statement that Mr
Sargsyan read was prepared in the office of Kenya Airports Authority
deputy managing director Naomi Sidi.

But Ms Sidi denied the claims that she was the one who had organised
for the two Armenians to use the VIP lounge for the news conference.

During the news conference, the Armenians insisted they were simply
businessmen who came to Kenya to work with the hotel industry and in
general trade.

They had interests in Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka and the Democratic
Republic of Congo and said they had invested Sh360 million ($5
million) in Kenya in housing and metal industries, with the approval
of President Kibaki.

Fund ODM

The two said they had been introduced to both Mr Odinga and Mr Kalonzo
Musyoka by another businessman, and had been asked by Mr Odinga and
Mr Musyoka to fund the ODM’s no-vote campaign in the last year’s
November 21 referendum on the proposed Constitution.

They said they refused to do this, saying they never helped to fund
political work, but said that instead they agreed to a request by Mr
Odinga to lend him $1.5 million (about Sh108 million).

Mr Odinga and Mr Musyoka have denied the claims and accused the
Government of being behind the allegations “to tarnish the integrity
of ODM leaders”.

Mr Musyoka has admitted meeting the two Armenians at the Grand Regency
Hotel in Nairobi but insisted that no business was transacted.

Flanked by ODM leaders William Ruto, Mutula Kilonzo and Reuben Ndolo
among others, Mr Odinga added to the mercenary twist when he claimed
that Mr Sargsyan was still in the country contrary to reports that
he has flown back to Dubai in a private jet. “They never went anywhere.

They are still in the country,” he said.

Reading ODM’s statement, Mr Kilonzo claimed the presence of Mr Sargsyan
and Mr Margaryan in the country was known to high people in Government.

“It is clear to us that the presence in Kenya of the two persons of
questionable character and integrity is with the express knowledge of
the Government at a very high level,” he said at Parliament Buildings
in Nairobi.

The leaders also queried the source of huge sums of money for the
Armenians’ investment and the bank through which the transactions
were carried out.

They told Kenyans to be wary of serious international criminals who
were present in the country. “Serious international criminals are on
the loose in the country, Kenyans beware,” they said.

But Tourism assistant minister Kalembe Ndile and Mwea MP Alfred
Nderitu asked the Government to take legal action against Mr Odinga
and Mr Musyoka for allegedly engaging in espionage.

Mr Nderitu stated that Mr Musyoka, Mr Odinga and the two Armenians
should be locked up and grilled to provide information into the
mercenaries claims.