OP’s Sh29bn vote under threat over Armenians
Story by NATION Team | Parliament
Publication Date: 7/12/2006

The Nation, Kenya
July 11 2006

Opposition MPs threatened to shoot down a Sh29 billion vote for the
Office of the President, accusing it of inefficiency and corruption.

They demanded the resignation of minister John Michuki, saying he
had embarrassed the Government over the raid on the Standard Group
and the Armenians’ saga.

Several Kanu and Liberal Democratic Party MPs veered from debate
to demand that the minister quit for allegedly defending the two
foreigners and for admitting government involvement in the March raid
by masked gunmen.

But MPs on the Government side came to Mr Michuki’s defence, and
asked those opposed to him to confine their debate to the vote on
the ministry and not his personal conduct.

Temporary deputy Speaker Samuel Pogishio (Kacheliba, Kanu) had a hard
time trying to control debate.

He told MPs that the issue at hand had nothing to do with the minister
as a person but the money voted for his ministry.

Mr Jakoyo Midiwo (Gem, Narc) rose on a point of order when Mr
Michuki stood up to move the motion on the vote soon after the end
of question time.

He said MPs would be demanding for Mr Michuki’s resignation since
had failed to run his ministry well by allowing Armenian foreigners
to treat the country with contempt.

Mr Joseph Nkaiserry (Kajiado Central, Kanu) said it would be bad for
Parliament to debate and pass a budget for a ministry that had been
voted the most corrupt in an opinion poll.

Mr Raila Odinga (Langata, Narc) described Mr Michuki as a political
liability who had failed President Kibaki and the Government.

He said the minister should be ashamed of asking for Sh29 billion,
adding: "Kenyans woke up one morning to the shocking raid on the
Standard Group, only for this minister to say two days later that the
government had ordered the raid. Are we being ruled by a government
of human beings or snakes?"

The former Roads minister accused the Government of harassing Narok
North MP William Ntimama for defending the rights of the Maasai.

Mr Odinga said if there was anybody who should be charged, it was Mr
Michuki. "Infact, Mr Michuki’s ministry should be renamed the ministry
of Internal Insecurity."