NAIROBI (Reuters) - A Kenyan
parliamentary committee has asked that a cabinet minister and the
central bank governor be removed from office and be investigated over
the loss of money it says was lost in a currency printing deal.
The powerful parliamentary committee, the Public Accounts
Committee (PAC), also wants the country's anti-corruption watchdog to
investigate the two government officials and take legal action to
recover the lost money from them.
The group, which monitors government spending, said in a report
presented to the country's national assembly it also wants parliament to
approve a resolution that the two are unfit to hold public office in
east Africa's biggest economy.
The report was presented to parliament on Wednesday and could be debated and voted on by the assembly within weeks.
Ndung'u faced a similar test earlier this year when the same
group demanded he step aside from his post over how he handled the local
currency's plunge to a historic low late last year. He was however
cleared of responsibility after a majority of Kenyan lawmakers voted in
his favour.
Chaired by fiery legislator Boni Khalwale, the PAC has for months
been conducting public hearings to investigate the currency printing
contracts between the Central Bank of Kenya and London-listed De La Rue
PLC.
The PAC concluded that Amos Kimunya, a former finance minister
and now transport minister, and central banker Njuguna Ndung'u should
step aside from their posts and be probed over the loss of over 1.8
billion shillings in the currency printing deal.
The PAC concluded that while holding the finance brief, Kimunya
terminated a long-term contract for the printing of banknotes, opting
for four short-term contracts that cost the taxpayer much more.
"The Committee is therefore satisfied that the taxpayer lost
Kshs.1,830,909,616.00 being the price difference between the interim
orders and the cancelled contract," it said in a report.
Neither Kimunya nor Ndung'u could be reached for comment.
If the PAC's proposals are approved by parliament, President Mwai
Kibaki would then have to consider whether to drop Kimunya from his
cabinet.
Ndung'u, who enjoys security of tenure, can only be removed
permanently after such a recommendation after an investigation by a
tribunal.