Uhuru Messengers Force EACC Commissioner to Quit

[Omollo]

• Tweet

Is this not highly illegal? Is this not itself subject to prosecution?

Two senior Government officials and an MP yesterday successfully forced out one of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission commissioners in a day of drama.

Two commissioners Vice chair Irene Keino and commissioner Jane Onsongo were summoned to the State Law OfficeSolicitor General Njee Muturi, Presidential adviser on Constitutional Affairs Abdikadir Mohamed and Ainabkoi MP Samuel Chepkonga.

"The two ladies were informed that instructions had been issued for them to immediately resign. They did not say where the instructions came from, but insisted that they had to be complied with," said a source familiar with what went on.

There have been calls for the dissolution of the EACC after infighting erupted. There have also been accusations that some EACC officials have been taking bribes to clear some individuals suspected to be corrupt and under investigation.

Last week President Uhuru Kenyatta received a confidential report from commission CEO Halakhe Waqo that named more than 150 senior State officials said to be engaged in graft. The 45-page document, The Report on the Current Status of Corruption Matters Under Investigation to the Presidency, was tabled in Parliament yesterday.

It is understood that the two women refused to write resignation letters, but the three high-ranking officials insisted that they had no choice.Later in the evening Onsongo announced that she had quit.

- See more at: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/onsongo-forced-out-eacc-keino-digs#sthash.X6vZU0cZ.dpuf

[Omollo]

http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000156919/irene-keino-i-was-offered-ambassadorial-to-resign

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Unfortunately this is a fight between criminals.  It is not clear to me, how one would even take a side.

[Omollo]

I am not taking sides. My view from the beginning is that of scepticism. I do not believe Uhuru is serious about fighting his friends and risk them spilling the beans.

EVIDENCE (so far):
1. The list has been tampered with (note that it was already incomplete)
2. There is an attempt to either kill the investigator (EACC) or stuff it with loyalists

Unfortunately this is a fight between criminals.  It is not clear to me, how one would even take a side.

[Georgesoros]

Its worse than Nigeria's Jonathan.
So they are forcing those who are supposed to fight corruption OUT!

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

I am not taking sides. My view from the beginning is that of scepticism. I do not believe Uhuru is serious about fighting his friends and risk them spilling the beans.

EVIDENCE (so far):
1. The list has been tampered with (note that it was already incomplete)
2. There is an attempt to either kill the investigator (EACC) or stuff it with loyalists

Unfortunately this is a fight between criminals.  It is not clear to me, how one would even take a side.

I totally agree there is no seriousness about corruption.  Smoke and mirrors.  Window dressing.  Uhuru is far from being the guy who will slay corruption.

[vooke]

I used to cast my lots with anybody resisting State House until Alfred Keter showed up; it don't necessarily make them clean but it is still admirable

[Georgesoros]

Heres what goes on:
1. Agency identifies the corrupt.
2. Agency moves to prosecution stage.
3. Agencies efforts are hampered by the executive who move investigators.
4. Agency cant move forward because the staff were moved.
5. Case lingers for years and then everyone forgets.
6. New executive.
7. Cycle begins.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Heres what goes on:
1. Agency identifies the corrupt.
2. Agency moves to prosecution stage.
3. Agencies efforts are hampered by the executive who move investigators.
4. Agency cant move forward because the staff were moved.
5. Case lingers for years and then everyone forgets.
6. New executive.
7. Cycle begins.

Good call on that cycle thing.  It's mind boggling how anybody can still believe in such a setup in that environment.

[MOON Ki]

Yes, perhaps they want to tinker with the composition of the EACC.   But I'd be more interested in what they said to the Onsongo lady that convinced her to quit.   Do they have something on her?  I can't imagine that they just said "we'd like you to quit", and she said "let me think about it for a couple of hours".

If these meetings did indeed take place, why didn't they just walk out once the "message" became clear?  Why resign if all you have been doing is your job?  What the ladies and their boss need to do, in place of making noise in the media, is shed some light on the basis on which they were supposedly asked to quit.

The EACC itself could be playing games in what increasing appears to be The Mother of All Games.

[Sibuor]

Somebody pocketed 25 mil from the Geothermal folks but failed to clear them of the corruption related charges. GOK has dossiers on ALL the commissioners, and they will be pulling the plugs as needed

[Georgesoros]

The constant pressure can give you high Blood pressure, so most just QUIT!
These people can send gunmen you know. Its not worth it.

Yes, perhaps they want to tinker with the composition of the EACC.   But I'd be more interested in what they said to the Onsongo lady that convinced her to quit.   Do they have something on her?  I can't imagine that they just said "we'd like you to quit", and she said "let me think about it for a couple of hours".

If these meetings did indeed take place, why didn't they just walk out once the "message" became clear?  Why resign if all you have been doing is your job?  What the ladies and their boss need to do, in place of making noise in the media, is shed some light on the basis on which they were supposedly asked to quit.

The EACC itself could be playing games in what increasing appears to be The Mother of All Games.

[Kim Jong-Un's Pajama Pants]

Yes, perhaps they want to tinker with the composition of the EACC.   But I'd be more interested in what they said to the Onsongo lady that convinced her to quit.   Do they have something on her?  I can't imagine that they just said "we'd like you to quit", and she said "let me think about it for a couple of hours".

If these meetings did indeed take place, why didn't they just walk out once the "message" became clear?  Why resign if all you have been doing is your job?  What the ladies and their boss need to do, in place of making noise in the media, is shed some light on the basis on which they were supposedly asked to quit.

The EACC itself could be playing games in what increasing appears to be The Mother of All Games.

You are right they want to put the "right" people in EACC.  With their people in place, they are able to whitewash corruption.  As usual.

Kamwana has stated that he will not fire those who are under investigation by EACC unless they are found guilty.  http://mobile.nation.co.ke/news/Sonko-out-governors-resist-graft-quit-calls/-/1950946/2673450/-/format/xhtml/-/ilamvl/-/index.html

Nothing in the constitution prevents him from doing so.  If you consider that he needs nobody's permission to fire these sleazebags, it betrays a lack of resolve, will, desire to enforce zero tolerance.

Anyone familiar with the history of corruption in Kenya knows these clowns cannot be subjected to anything more than sham prosecutions.  Let alone being found guilty. 

Which begs the question.  If he is for zero tolerance, why expend so much energy on corrupt governors, when he won't fire the people he can fire? 

Why won't kamwana send the message if you are under investigation, you have no place in my government.?

Why did he, only a few days ago, hire Okemo, a man facing criminal charges?

[Omollo]

It is possible they have some dirt on Onsongo and Keino. What with the NIS taping every phone in Kenya. However knowing and concealing criminal acts with a view of blackmailing the perpetrator is a serious crime that a Solicitor General, Presidential Adviser and Chairman of the National Assembly Justice and Legal Affairs Committee should not be involved in.

Now if Uhuru is serious about promoting an ethical administration, why has he not fired Abdi Kadir and the Solicitor General?

Yes, perhaps they want to tinker with the composition of the EACC.   But I'd be more interested in what they said to the Onsongo lady that convinced her to quit.   Do they have something on her?  I can't imagine that they just said "we'd like you to quit", and she said "let me think about it for a couple of hours".

If these meetings did indeed take place, why didn't they just walk out once the "message" became clear?  Why resign if all you have been doing is your job?  What the ladies and their boss need to do, in place of making noise in the media, is shed some light on the basis on which they were supposedly asked to quit.

The EACC itself could be playing games in what increasing appears to be The Mother of All Games.

[RV Pundit]

Makes for a sad reading.But that EACC is just too underwhelming for a serious graft war. Can Uhuru put someone like Richard Leakey there...a kenyan Mzungu with CIA protection?

[Omollo]

One agency can not fight every economic crime. There is need to have more organizations and even encourage competition and cross jurisdictional turf wars.

The War on Drug related corruption should come under a separate agency; Fraud related to Banks and Mobile Money Transfers to another; Political Fraud, Corruption should come under a different body - perhaps an enhancement of the Efficiency Monitoring Unit; Tenders and Procurement - a different body.

The CID should have "universal jurisdiction".

Other intelligence bodies such as NIS, Military intelligence etc should also be involved in gathering information and undertaking investigations.

One-Stop Shop EACC will never make it.

The US has multiple bodies - FBI, CIA, NSA, ATF, DEA etc.

Makes for a sad reading.But that EACC is just too underwhelming for a serious graft war. Can Uhuru put someone like Richard Leakey there...a kenyan Mzungu with CIA protection?