Let the truth prevail over De la Rue deal

That Jecinta Mwatela, the former acting Central Bank Governor, who quit in controversial circumstances, asked to give her evidence in camera on the currency printing deal, speaks volumes about the De la Rue contract.

It is even worse that Ms Mwatela sighted the issue as one that has given her sleepless nights over the years, and that there are even threats to her life.

As a matter that is of interest to tax payers, reports that Kenya could have lost Sh7 billion in the deal cannot over emphasise the need to get to the bottom of the matter. Several questions linger.

Why did Mr Amos Kimunya – the then Finance minister – refuse to sign a long term contract to print cheap currency after President Kibaki cleared the same following the floating of an international tender? What does Kimunya know about the deal that the rest of the country does not? Could the disagreements over the tender have led to the exit of Mwatela?

Did Treasury exert undue interference in insisting on the continuity of short-term expensive contracts?

As the Public Accounts Committee continues to probe why the Treasury abandoned the contract offering competitive prices for the printing of notes for exploitative interim orders, the report they will write should not ask more questions, but give answers.

The task of unveiling what exactly is the issue in the deal now squarely lies with the committee, especially so after next Tuesday meeting when Kimunya and Investment Secretary Esther Koimett are set to testify.