KENYA: RAILA: ARMENIANS VISITED STATE HOUSE
Martin Mutua And Harold Ayodo

The East African Standard (Nairobi)
March 15, 2006
Posted to the web March 14, 2006

Nairobi

The Government stage-managed the Monday morning press conference by
two Armenians, Lang’ata Member of Parliament Raila Odinga has said.

Raila yesterday said the men, whom he described as “dangerous
criminals”, had been seen at State House and were accorded VIP
treatment by the Kenya Airports Authority under the supervision of
a personal assistant to an Othaya Narc activist.

He said Armenians used the office of the KAA deputy managing director,
Naomi Cidi, where the Press statement was crafted and printed.

“She (Cidi) was the one who arranged the VIP treatment for them,”
he added.

Raila spoke to journalists at a news conference called by the
Orange Democratic Movement to denounce the mercenaries at Parliament
Buildings.

He said the so-called mercenaries had not flown in since they had been
in the country and were driven from their Runda house in GK vehicles
with police escort.

He said at first the organisers of the media conference had claimed
that the two had flown in aboard a Kenya Airways plan from Dubai and
locked journalists in a room as they stage-managed the scenario.

“The faces are familiar and they have been seen at State House,”
said Raila, adding that the Immigration minister Gideon Konchellah
claimed they had come in a private jet when their names missed in
the KA manifest.

“Although they are now able to manipulate things we need to be told
which private jet they used and its registration.”

He said allegations that he had asked for money to sort out a domestic
problem was insulting.

“Is it possible that you meet a stranger who then goes ahead to give
you Sh100 million to sort out a domestic problem, what sort of a
domestic problem would one have to require that kind of money?” posed
Raila.

He said it was even intriguing that a stranger would give you that
kind of money without any documentation and wondered how one would
carry such huge amounts in cash unless he was a drug dealer.

“We are dealing with very dangerous international criminals on the
loose in our country that can only be referred to as the mafia,”
he said.

Raila said last Wednesday a Kenya Power and Lighting Company official
who had gone to take meter readings at the Runda house was chased away.

Meanwhile, Nyanza church leaders yesterday challenged the Armenians
to produce the agreement they signed with Raila for the Sh100 million
loan they allegedly gave him.

Bishops Washington Ng’ede, Julius Otieno and Jusper Ogelo accused
the Government of dictatorship.

In Siaya, Rev Kenneth Wachianga of the Anglican Church of Kenya (ACK)
said there would have been a signed agreement for the alleged Sh100
million Raila pocketed.

“We want to see copies of signed agreements showing Raila took the
money and clarifications whether it was paid in cash or cheque,”
Wachianga said.

Wachianga told the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) to stand strong
and not crumble over the Government’s arm-twisting.

“We want a democratic Government that tells its people the truth
and clears the air whenever there are threatening allegations,”
Wachianga said.

“President Kibaki is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and
should explain the alleged presence on mercenaries in the country,”
they said.

The clerics demanded to know why the State had not apologised for
sending police to attack Standard and KTN offices and printing press
two weeks ago.