Foreign governments also embed in key government institutions people who act as conduits of information. In June 2005, the CIA used a senior official of a US-funded Parliamentary strengthening project to collect information on a motion in Parliament Mr Paul Muite had filed to censure the US for attempting to arm-twist Kenya into signing an agreement.

In one of the cables from the Nairobi Embassy, the American Ambassador met President Mwai Kibaki in October 2005 to convey his government’s decision to ban Mr Chris Murunguru, then Transport Minister, from travelling to the US.

KIBAKI-BELLAMY FACE-OFF

In an encounter that lasted 40 minutes, Mr Kibaki was sullen and challenged Mr William Bellamy to share specific information that guided his government’s decision. Mr Kibaki said he could only act against Mr Murungaru if he was handed specific evidence.

The irony of this conversation was that Mr Kibaki was asking the ambassador to share with him information which Americans had obtained from Kenyans. But Mr Bellamy refused to share it since it was from “sensitive sources, or persons who would not want their identities revealed.” He insisted that privacy rules precluded him from providing specifics on why Mr Murungaru was being banned from travelling to the US. Mr Kibaki insisted that unless Americans provided him with more specific information and hard data on Mr Murungaru, he could not take the necessary decisions.

On his way out of Mr Kibaki’s office, Mr Bellamy bumped into two senior state officials who were lingering outside during the tête-à-tête. On being debriefed on what had transpired, both “appeared disappointed at the President’s indecisiveness.” One of them confided in Mr Bellamy that Mr Kibaki had plenty of evidence but was just refusing to act.