CORD came hard on Jubilee Alliance last evening with a barrage of
well orchestrated questions which made Majority Leader Aden Duale (URP)
reveal that the much hyped trip by the TNA side of the ruling coalition
to China only secured sh16.02 billion shilling, a paltry some amount of
money whose economic worth is ‘insulting’ to every right-thinking
taxpayer, considering the presidency had(once again) lied about the
value and significance of another failed diplomatic charm offensive.
During the trip, the presidency announced that Kenya Uhuru had
secured grants, loans and concessions worth sh425 billion; Sh340 billion
for economic partnerships, wildlife protection and the standard gauge
railway project and Sh85 billion for energy-related projects.
On Wednesday, Majority Leader Aden Dualle told MPs that on the trip
to the Far East, President Kenyatta secured a grant, a loan and a
concessional loan worth a total Sh16.02 billion.
What is now emerging is that the presidency calculated the
cummulative cost of all projects China was undertaking in Kenya, some
which nearing full completion and which former prime minister Raila
Odinga played a major role in securing, then summed up all that and
gave to the Kenyan people as new investments! A government that lies
consistently!
“What was reported was what was value to the Kenyan people; five
billion dollars. It’s not the 15 billion.” Five Billion Dollars only
which is just a paltry sixteen billion kenya shillings. The presidency lied; today Kenya can confirm that the much hyped president
Uhuru Kenyatta’s tour to China was a diplomatic hoax that has
boomeranged on the country. No investments, it was a another fiesta
tour!
What Kenyans have not been told is that the most developement
allegedly undertaken by Chinese firms, including Thika, are often
funding between Kenyan taxpayers under public-private sector
partnerships. Yesterday, Duale revealed the expected construction of the
standard gauge railway line from Mombasa to Western Kenya will be
funded in the same usual fashion. No China!
Parliament also queried the circumstances in which a memorandum of
understanding promised a Chinese firm rights to drill for geothermal
power. Just as with Nigeria, where President Kenyatta was reported to
have secretly sold off oil exploration rights to the Nigerians, the new
development raises questions on the powers of the presidency in hawking
the countries natural and historical resources.
Earlier, Uhuru’s predessesor, Mwai Kibaki, was accused of hawking off
Migingo islands to Ugandans to seek legitimacy in the region after the
disputed elections of 2007-08. Todate, Ugandans still harass hapless
Kenyan fishermen on the island.
Of the funds to the government directly, the first is a grant of Sh1.42
billion, which will be used to fund a project to be agreed upon between
the two governments’ finance ministers. The second is an interest-free
loan of Sh2.8 billion to be given within five years from September 1
this year and which would be used to fund technical and economic
cooperation projects to be agreed upon between the two governments.
Parliament would be notified once the projects are identified by the two governments, said Mr Dualle.
The Majority Leader said the loan would be paid at the rate of one
tenth over 10 years from September 1, 2023 to August 31, 2033.
China will also provide Kenya with a concessional loan for Sh11.8
billion to be used on Nairobi City Centre Extra High Voltage and the
66KV network upgrade and reinforcement project.
Projects would be appraised by the Chinese Export-Import Bank, which
would also supervise the use of the loan. The agreement for the loan
would remain valid for three years after it is signed
It would be declared invalid if the two governments fail to agree.
But led by MPs Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini, Ford-Kenya), John Mbadi
(Suba, ODM) and James Rege (Karachuonyo, ODM), they wondered whether
that amount was worth it given the large delegation President Kenyatta
travelled with.
“We don’t want to mortgage our children and our future generations,”
said Mr Wamalwa, who had asked for the statement. “In our role as the
National Assembly, we wanted to know this for the purposes of planning.”
Mr Wamalwa was wary that the Chinese could have provided that
money with the condition that the projects would be carried out by
Chinese firms, which is rather common and without competitive bidding.
John Mbadi wanted the statement from the President’s
spokesman clarified because it created the impression that either Mr
Dualle was lying or that “the communication was aimed at the West so
that they don’t push the ICC issue.”
“I really doubt if you can go to China, stay for all those
days only to negotiate for Sh15 billion to be advanced in five years,
really, for a country like Kenya. That should be a personal loan of John
Mbadi or Homa Bay County,” said Mr Mbadi.
Richard Onyonka (Kitutu Chache South, ODM) struck a more
conciliatory note; saying that for a president to go to another country
and get even Sh1 billion, it was commendable. He asked whether there was
an agreement to have 250,000 Chinese come to Kenya, but Mr Duale told
him that wasn’t true.
Under pressure from the MPs, Mr Duale said Mr Wamalwa’s question only touched on grants and loans.
Could Duale have let enough out? Well, TNA Mps were later heard
cursing, claiming Duale was exposing the President for ridicule at a
time the whole trip issue had ended. To the TNA Mps, their colleagues in
URP seem to only care about questions which touch on the Deputy
President.
“During the hustler’s jet, we were together, but yesterday most of
them just stared as the opposition made mincemeat of the President,” a
TNA legislator from central Kenya (of course) was overhead grumbling!
But now we know. Mr President, really? 16 billion? How Much did the
Homa Bay Governor secure around that period from the ‘western world’?
