By David Ochami

Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula has defended the controversial purchase of a diplomatic property in Tokyo.

Amid claims the transaction was corrupt and irregular, Mr Wetang’ula claimed a member of Parliament’s Defence and Foreign Relations Committee had blackmailed him and his staff over the matter and tried to extort money from them with threats to spread false information on the purchase.

The minister claimed the committee member had misinformed the public about the transaction and had demanded Sh100 million.

Wetang’ula said "incredible statements by the chairman (of the committee)" and evidence on the matter by Cabinet ministers James Orengo and Chris Obure had been expunged from Parliament’s Hansard.

The minister said he and his PS Thuita Mwangi will swear affidavits indicating the extortion allegations against them. Wetang’ula said he had protested to the Speaker of Parliament on the alleged erasure of the Hansard.

"Did the (Kenyan) public get value for money?" the minister asked and quipped: "The answer is a resounding "Yes".

Sh48 million

He said the taxpayer saved Sh48 million spent on annual rent before the purchase of the property in the Japanese city of Tokyo.

But the minister admitted that the residential part of the mission was gutted in a fire "accident" early this year, dismissing reports that it was an arson attack.

Wetang’ula admitted that he appointed a team to audit the matter and said the transaction was made "after a detailed, comprehensive and meticulous analysis of all existing options", contradicting allegations it was grossly inflated by officials from the Treasury, Lands and Foreign Affairs ministries and Kenya’s former High Commissioner Dennis Awori forced out of Tokyo to enforce a fraudulent deal.

Although Wetang’ula questioned the credibility of the parliamentary committee, some of his claims yesterday contradicted key aspects of past testimony by Lands Minister James Orengo.

Orengo told the committee last week his ministry was kept out of much of the transaction and only invited at the end to determine value of the 1.431-acre plot.

Wetang’ula disclosed that much of the money used to buy the Tokyo mission was derived from the sale of another Kenyan property in Lagos, Nigeria, at a cost of Sh1.1 billion.

"I was distressed to see my colleague from Lands say he was kept in the dark. His ministry was fully aware, perhaps his officers did not inform him, and I can give him the benefit of the doubt."

He contradicted Orengo’s evidence that the plot in Tokyo was situated "in an area not a designated diplomatic zone" by insisting the mission is situated in "one of the most prime neighborhoods in Tokyo" among 13 other embassies and high commissions.

The property was bought for Sh1.524 billion.

The minister said the Japanese Government provided a solicitor for the transaction, who was paid Sh388,000 down from a cost of Sh45.7 million demanded by private lawyers.