Christopher Ndarathi Murungaru (born August 19, 1954,

Nyeri, Kenya Nyeri is a town situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya. It is the county headquarters of Nyeri County. The town was the central administrative headquarters of the country's former Central Province. Following the dissolution of the former p ...

) is a former

Kenya ) , national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

n politician, a former Member of Parliament for

Kieni Constituency Kieni Constituency is an electoral constituency in Kenya. It is one of six constituencies in Nyeri County Nyeri County is a county located in the central region of Kenya. Its capital and largest town is Nyeri. It has a population of 759,164 and ...

Nyeri Nyeri is a town situated in the Central Highlands of Kenya. It is the county headquarters of Nyeri County. The town was the central administrative headquarters of the country's former Central Province. Following the dissolution of the former pr ...

District and a former Minister of Transport. When the

National Rainbow Coalition The National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) is a political party in Kenya. As an alliance, it was in power from 2002 and 2005 when it collapsed due to disagreements between members over a constitutional referendum. Formation In preparation of the 2002 ...

(NARC) Government took power from

Kenya African National Union The Kenya African National Union (KANU) is a Kenyan political party that ruled for nearly 40 years after Kenya's independence from British colonial rule in 1963 until its electoral loss in 2002. It was known as Kenya African Union (KAU) from 194 ...

(KANU) in 2003, Dr Murungaru was named Minister for Internal Security. He was later transferred to the Ministry of Transport in a cabinet reshuffle following revelation of the

Anglo Leasing Scandal The Anglo Leasing scandal was a government procurement facilitated corruption scandal in Kenya. Origins The scandal is alleged to have started when the Kenyan Government wanted to replace its passport printing system, in 1997, but came to light ...

, allegations he didn't expressly deny. When President

Mwai Kibaki Emilio Stanley Mwai Kibaki (15 November 1931 – 21 April 2022) was a Kenyan politician who served as the third President of Kenya from December 2002 until April 2013 and is regarded as one of Kenya's founding fathers. He had previously ser ...

reconstituted the cabinet following a humiliating defeat in the November 21, 2005

constitutional Referendum A referendum (plural: referendums or less commonly referenda) is a direct vote by the electorate on a proposal, law, or political issue. This is in contrast to an issue being voted on by a representative. This may result in the adoption of a ...

, he was dropped from the cabinet. He was a close ally of Kenyan President

Anglo Leasing Scandal

Murungaru has been embroiled in a conflict with the British Government following cancellation of his visa to enter the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

due to allegations of corruption in the Anglo-Leasing scandal. He has taken the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

Government to court challenging the cancellation of his visa. He has hired prominent Kenyan lawyer Paul Muite and a group of British lawyers, Mr Rabinder Singh, a

Queen's Counsel In the United Kingdom and in some Commonwealth of Nations, Commonwealth countries, a King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) during the reign of a king, or Queen's Counsel (post-nominal initials QC) during the reign of ...

of Matrix Chambers, London, Mr Richard Stein, a senior partner in Leigh, Day and Company and Ms Tessa Hetherington, a junior counsel of Matrix to represent him. On November 23, 2005, President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya dissolved his cabinet following a humiliating defeat on a referendum on the proposed constitution of Kenya. The President and his key allies, including Murungaru were campaigning for a 'Yes' vote on the constitution, which they lost, forcing the president to reconstitute his cabinet.

Fallout

On January 22, 2006,

John Githongo John Githongo (born 1965) is a former Kenyan journalist who investigated bribery and fraud in his home country (Kenya) and later, under the presidency of Mwai Kibaki, took on an official governmental position to fight corruption. In 2005 he lef ...

named Murungaru as one of three top politicians (along with

Kiraitu Murungi Kiraitu Murungi (born 1 January 1952) is a Commissioner at the Kenya Law Reform Commission and the former governor of Meru County in Kenya. He is a former long-serving member of parliament for South Imenti constituency (1992-2013), former cab ...

, former Justice Minister and present Energy Minister, and Finance Minister

David Mwiraria David (Daudi) Mwiraria (3 September 1938 – 13 April 2017) was the Minister for Environment and Natural Resources previously Finance Minister of Kenya until December 2007 when Kenya held its General Elections. Running for re election on a Party ...

) as being involved in a financial scam involving up to $600M On February 1, 2006, Finance Minister

announced that he was stepping down as a minister and a member of cabinet to pave way for investigation. The news was received with joy by many Kenyans, though some saw him as a scapegoat who had been sacrificed to protect a president whose support had been waning. On January 16, 2006, President Kibaki allowed anti-corruption chief Aaron Ringera to request Murungaru to declare and account for his wealth. Murungaru has since moved to court to prevent the

Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission The Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC) was established in April 2003 to replace the Kenya Anti-Corruption Authority after Parliament enacted new legislation. Legal framework The legislation enacted to establish the commission was: * The A ...

from investigating, saying fulfilling the commission's request would amount to self-incrimination. Vice President

Moody Awori Arthur Moody Awori (born 5 December 1928), known as "Uncle Moody", is a former Kenyan politician who served as the ninth Vice President of Kenya from 25 September 2003 Anglo Leasing Scandal The Anglo Leasing scandal was a government procurement facilitated corruption scandal in Kenya. Origins The scandal is alleged to have started when the Kenyan Government wanted to replace its passport printing system, in 1997, but came to light ...

. He has insisted that he is innocent, and that nothing short of due process will make him resign his post. He has criticized by many people for defending those involved in the scandal before Parliament.

Court battles

On February 17, 2006, the

(KACC) arraigned Murungaru in a Nairobi court charging him with failing to declare and account for his wealth. The Commission believed that Murungaru had become too rich too quickly and was keen to investigate the source of his wealth, especially in relation to the

. He denied refusing to declare his wealth, and was released on a bond of KES 200,000. On December 1, 2006, the Kenyan High Court determined that KACC's notice to Murungaru was not carried out according to the laid down law which subsequently led to the High Court quashing KACC's case against Murungaru. The court did not however stop KACC from investigating Murungaru or anyone else for corruption but insisted that any orders issued by the Commission be done so in a legal manner. A society in Kenya under the banner of the Name and Shame Corruption Network (NASCON) held a demonstration in the streets of

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ha ...

to push for the resignation of more senior people in President

's administration. Key among them is civil service boss

Francis Muthaura Francis Kirimi Muthaura (born 20 October 1946 in Meru, Kenya) is a Kenyan former civil servant and close ally of former President Mwai Kibaki. He is the former Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet. From 14 March 1996 to 24 Apri ...

and Vice President

Moody Awori Arthur Moody Awori (born 5 December 1928), known as "Uncle Moody", is a former Kenyan politician who served as the ninth Vice President of Kenya from 25 September 2003Party of National Unity's primary elections for its parliamentary candidates in November 2007."Upset in Kenyan primaries"
, Sapa (News24), November 18, 2007.

External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20070927182114/http://www.parliament.go.ke/MPs/members_murungaru_dr_c.php * https://web.archive.org/web/20070317164531/http://www.timesnews.co.ke/02dec06/nwsstory/topstry.html

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Murungaru, Chris 1954 births Living people People from Nyeri County Government ministers of Kenya Members of the National Assembly (Kenya)

Anglo Leasing Scandal

Fallout

Court battles

See also

External links

References