UK ex-minister jailed for lies thrills Kenyans at MPs prayers

By ALEX NDEGWA

A former top British minister whose political career collapsed following his imprisonment headlined National Prayer Breakfast meeting with stern and sobering sermon: impunity is an illusion.

Mr Jonathan Aitken starred at the forum graced by President Kibaki, Prime Minister Raila Odinga, and Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, with a testimony of his tribulations, weaved in light moments and sarcasm to pitch for transformation. Aitken recalled times in positions of power and influence, painting the familiar picture of the arrogant politician deluded that "he could get away with anything", before a humbling 18-month sentence for perjury in 1999.

The Irish born politician, who four years earlier had rose to the coveted post of Chief Secretary to Treasury, told his audience, which included ministers, MPs and other invited guests, such impunity that "resonates well with your country" certainly ends in pain.

"Impunity is a long term illusion," Aitken, who shared a prison cell with the lowly in society like armed robbers and burglars, cautioned: "I learnt it the hard way."

When he was jailed for lying a Saudi prince had not paid for his accommodation in Ritz Hotel, France, and that he was there with his wife and daughter when they were not even in Paris, the sentencing Judge told him:

"For nearly four years you wove a web of deceit in which you entangled yourself and from which there was no way out, unless you were prepared to come clean and tell the truth. Unfortunately you were not." He then jailed him after he admitted perjury and subverting the course of justice.

On Thursday at the national reflection ritual for Kenyan leaders, he cut the perfect image to warn them about the consequences of politics propped by lies, corruption, chicanery and greed.

President Kibaki spoke against corruption and political sideshows in an address to participants at the ninth National Prayer Breakfast meeting at Safari Park Hotel, Nairobi.

Unity of purpose

"I urge Kenyans to turn away from corruption, which is one of the key moral problem facing our country. We must turn away from the wicked culture of corrupt ways if we hope to reap the blessings that God has promised," he advised.

Apparently referring to the power struggle that has paralysed Parliament’s Justice and Legal Affairs Committee, disrupting implementation of the Constitution, and delaying vetting of nominees for top judicial positions, the Head of State called for unity of purpose.

"I urge all stakeholders to join hands and be ready to engage in productive dialogue so that we can open a new chapter of prosperity for our country. Let us also say no to political sideshows that can slow the implementation process," he said.

National Assembly Speaker Kenneth Marende, too, called for a stop to partisan political intrigues, saying the onus of sustaining the momentum of the constitutional implementation "falls squarely on all of us".

"Leadership and commitment is key in this process. The time has come for all of us to put aside narrow interests and sideshows and work with focus, together for the good of our nation and for our prosperity," Marende said.

The Speaker said Kenyans understand what is at stake; that reforms must dismantle the retrogressive culture of impunity.

"They understand that real reforms must undo the privileges of the few for the greater good of the nation," he said.

The occasion was laden with symbolism and perhaps the choice of guest speaker was influenced by the laid-back attitude of the political class despite myriad challenges facing the country.

And Aitken, who started off in the 1960s as a war correspondent in Biafra, Nigeria, and Vietnam before his election in 1974 as MP, did not disappoint if his brief was to jolt the ambivalent leadership from their comfort zone.

Behind bars after plum positions as Minister of State for Defence Procurement and Chief Secretary to the Treasury, it typically was the fall from grace to grass, which might have encouraged him to pen the inspirational book ‘From Disgrace to Amazing Grace’. "It takes a real artist to fall from Cabinet minister to a prisoner," joked the author, who was visiting Kenya for the second time since 1966.

Magic of pain

He added to more laughter: "In prison I learnt that a conservative Cabinet minister is not a popular figure among robbers."

But soon he became the most sought after inmate offering letter writing and reading services to the vastly illiterate prison population.

That is how he made friends with an Irish burglar, Paddy, who initially flew into a rage when Aitken turned down his illicit gift, but later saw the light to take the "new path of following Jesus Christ".

"You know I really want to try that path. How do I get on it?" Aitken said, the convicted burglar posed. Before long there was an army of converts giving birth to a "very unusual prayer group," Aitken concluded, extolling the magic of pain, prayer, power and peace.

"We are happy you got over some of those problems," President Kibaki said, adding, "I hope we shall have learnt from your sermon because so many of these things we do face here."

Marende said the fact Aitken rose to the "very apex of British politics", condemned to a life in prison, and regained his honour was a valuable lesson.

"He rose up again and today he is a befitting testimony to all of us and to our country that though we may have fallen very low, with belief in God and determination we can rise to glory again," Marende said.

Earlier, the heads of key law enforcement agencies read the scriptures.

Police Commissioner Matthew Iteere delivered the first reading, which cautioned against hypocrisy through the popular biblical refrain that one could not seek to "remove the speck in your neighbour’s eye while failing to see the plank in your own".

Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission Director PLO Lumumba delivered the second reading.

Marathon legend Paul Tergat led the prayer for the continued healing of the nation. Investment Secretary Esther Koimett said a prayer for the country’s leadership. It followed a performance by MPs’ choir with the old spiritual, Sweet Jesus.