The Nation announces the new effort as a contract to enable the Treasury to investigate the principal players either remotely or directly linked to the Anglo-Leasing scandal. The news report also declares that the government intends to decide on the basis of the audit whether or not the 20 or so Anglo-Leasing type contract should be discontinued.

Now for a bit of fun and games,with helicopter and weapons experts! A little drama for the news shows, and a diverting if not riveting issue to direct our attention away from the recent bad press the government has been getting. Doubting-Thomases beware of subliminal messages and pronouncements of a deep seated hatred for corruption, a zero-tolerance, from the Mhe. Alfred Mutua.

I confess to being a little cynical and I fully expect that the contracts will be OK'd in the end. If the work is declared shoddy, a well-placed payola should see the same firm awarded the contract ( under a different name if anyone is so bothered).

Meanwhile, the poor clerk who has to file these reports, at State House? It will probably have to go to the dusty shelf that holds the reports that cannot be released for reasons of National Security. You know Ndung'u, Kiruki, Ouko, Goldenberg, etc. What a waste of time and money!! And considering it is an exercise in futility why must we make these dances so expensive? Why hire Johnny-Foreigner? Anyone remember John Troon?

I can suggest some probes the felons with itchy fingers would benefit from. I cannot speak too much about these probes here but they would not cost 96 million and can be gained for nothing in the rear at any of our wonderful jails (now with colour TV). I offer as a cheaper solution a re-usable sturdy lanyard ( appropriate knot attached ) and a mid-level branch. Swing low, sweet chariot.

P.S. The Attorney General should put in a request (in the spirit of cost-sharing and savings and all that , for a day's lease of the ballistics auditor. He could lend a hand in the re-invigorated trial of Tom Cholmondeley.