(NDIMA/IFEX) – In a ministerial statement issued in Nairobi on 16 June 1998, Kenyan Finance Minister Simeon Nyachae accused “The Nation”, the country’s leading English-language daily, of a “witch-hunt”. Nyachae refuted some of the claims made in an editorial in the newspaper, saying that he has only two official cars and not a fleet of […]
(NDIMA/IFEX) – In a ministerial statement issued in Nairobi on 16 June 1998,
Kenyan Finance Minister Simeon Nyachae accused “The Nation”, the country’s
leading English-language daily, of a “witch-hunt”. Nyachae refuted some of
the claims made in an editorial in the newspaper, saying that he has only
two official cars and not a fleet of cars. As well, the minister added that
he does not use government telephones in his residence, but rather uses
private lines for a range of purposes, including work of the state. “The
Nation” editorial also charged that, after presenting the 1998-9 budget that
called for cutbacks in public spending, Nyachae hosted an extravagant party
at the Hotel Intercontinental, Nairobi.
“The Nation” editorial said that Nyachae must lead by example. It went on to
say that this was imperative because there have been finance ministers
before him and other government functionaries who have articulated
government policy and proposals or legislation in superb terms and won
plaudits for their efforts. It went on, “But this time around, the matter of
resuscitating Kenya’s economy is not one that should be trifled with.”
