MINISTERS EVADE QUERY ON ARMENIAN ‘BROTHERS’

Story by NATION Reporter
Publication Date: 03/31/2006

Daily Nation, Kenya
March 30 2006

A question on the presence of two foreigners at the centre of mercenary
allegations was not answered because of confusion on which ministry
is responsible.

The question, by Mr Joseph Kamotho (Mathioya, Narc), was deferred for
the second time in a week after it became apparent that no ministry
was willing to answer it.

The question on the controversy surrounding Armenians Artur Sargsyan
and Artur Margaryan first appeared on the Order Paper on Tuesday.

Mr Kamotho wants to know if the two businessmen are really investors as
they say, the kind of business they are in and why they were accorded
high security by the state. He also wants to know if the two have
any links to the Armenian government.

The question was first directed to the ministry of Foreign Affairs,
but could not be answered after assistant minister Danson Mungatana
said it should be referred to the minister for Internal Security in
the Office of the President. Mr Mungatana said he would consult with
OP to have the question answered.

But when the question came up yesterday, it had been redirected to
the ministry of Immigration and Registration of Persons.

There was even more confusion when Mr Ananiah Mwaboza, an assistant
minister in the ministry, said he could not answer the question
because it should have been directed to the Office of the President.

Mr Mwaboza’s reply caused uproar, with several Opposition MPs rising
on points of order to demand that the question be answered.

Mr Gor Sungu (Kisumu Town East, Narc) said the Government was not
interested in answering the question and was taking Parliament for
a ride.

Dr Abdullahi Ali (Wajir North, Kanu) accused ministers of “taking
Parliament for a joke” and insisted that the question be answered.

Speaker Francis ole Kaparo said he was also amused by the answer given
by the assistant minister: “There are some issues that amuse, and this
is one of them. This question has been redirected from one ministry
to another. Why is that no minister wants to handle this issue?”

Mr Paul Muite (Kabete, Safina) said the leader of Government Business
should explain why no minister was prepared to answer the question.

Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Martha Karua agreed
there was confusion. Ms Karua, who is the deputy leader of Government
Business, promised that the question would be answered on Tuesday.

She said: “I want to promise that the question will be answered on
Tuesday, even if it is me who will answer the question under the
doctrine of collective responsibility.”

Parliament does not sit Friday to Monday.