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To enliven Kenya's official anti-corruption campaign comes the bizarre saga of the cellular telephone licences. The licence to operate a second cellular system was awarded last month to a consortium led by Vivendi, an ambitious French sewerage contractor, and Kenya's Sameer Investments. The Vivendi-Sameer consortium bid just US$55 million for its licence. Two competitors submitted bids, for $94 mn. and $120 mn. On the face of it, that cost the Treasury about $50 mn. The all-powerful Trade and Industry Minister, Nicholas Biwott, who has taken a very close interest in the matter describes the award as 'good for Kenya'....

(This article contains approximately 789 words)

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Keywords:

French, Nicholas Biwott, Naushad Merali, Egypt, Neguib Sawiri, Samuel Chepkong'a, Titus Naikuni, Stanley Morage, Richard Leakey, Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, Deutsche, Malaysia, United States, Wilson Boinet, Amin Juma, South Africa, Gideon, Philip, Britain,