Kenyan government tries to block corruption report

NAIROBI - The Kenyan government moved on Tuesday to block a report to parliament on a multimillion dollar corruption scandal that has forced two ministers to resign.

The scandal has damaged the ruling coalition government of President Mwai Kibaki, which swept to power in 2002 vowing to fight corruption plaguing east Africa's biggest economy.

The report on a scam in which state contracts worth some US$200 million went to a fictitious firm was to be presented on Tuesday to parliament by Uhuru Kenyatta, who is chairman of a parliamentary watchdog committee and the opposition leader.

But Internal Security Assistant Minister Mirugi Kariuki said a similar report had been presented last year and rejected by the assembly so the matter could not be debated.

"The house cannot revisit the issue," Kariuki said.

Parliamentary Speaker Francis ole Kaparo said he would rule this week on whether the report should be presented.

"The issue before the house has been on the minds of Kenyans for a long time and has been very emotive ... I suspend the matter until I make a decision," he told lawmakers.

The report by the Public Accounts Committee was compiled after the panel travelled to Britain to hear evidence from former anti-graft boss John Githongo to support his claim that top officials were involved in the "Anglo Leasing" scandal.

In documents leaked in January, Githongo accused ministers in Kibaki's government of plotting to steal public funds to build a war chest before elections in 2007.

The revelations forced then-Finance Minister David Mwiraria and Justice Minister Kiraitu Murungi, both named in the Githongo dossier, to step down.

It also named Vice President Moody Awori and Chris Murungaru, the former internal security minister. All deny any wrongdoing.

- REUTERS