Gold: Did we all miss this....

News & Politics
1

…or it was inconvenient to the narrative?

[SIZE=6]Envoy distances United Arab Emirates from Sh400m gold scam[/SIZE]

WEDNESDAY MAY 22 2019

https://www.nation.co.ke/image/view/-/5125960/highRes/2350844/-/maxw/600/-/8vwmccz/-/UAEPIC.jpg
United Arab Emirates Ambassador to Kenya Khalid Khalifa al Mualla attends an investment forum at Villa Rosa Kempinski. He has said his country should not be linked to a recent gold scandal. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
In Summary
[ul]
[li]The diplomat suggested that the matter is more of a private transaction between private firms than a matter of intercountry relations.[/li][li]The ambassador said though President Kenyatta and the Dubai ruler enjoy close ties, the two have not met to discuss the gold scam.[/li][/ul]
https://www.nation.co.ke/image/view/-/1968876/medRes/566206/-/6xxjw3z/-/Mutash.jpg[B]By AGGREY MUTAMBO[/B]
More by this Author
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has distanced itself from a scandal in which a relative of the country’s ruler is reported to have lost up to Sh400 million to a syndicate in Kenya.
The UAE ambassador to Kenya, Mr Khalid Al Mualla, told the Nation there is no link between his government and the gold traders currently involved in a dispute in Kenya, adding that his country is disappointed to see a series of memes depicting the royalty as giving orders to Kenya.
The ambassador’s statement came amid claims that the Dubai ruler, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, had been piling pressure on the Kenyan government to release gold reportedly detained at the airport.
PERSONAL ISSUE
Asked about a letter purportedly written by the Dubai leader to Kenyan authorities, he said: “There is no such letter. It is all fabricated, and even if there were, who in their right sense would believe him? He is the vice-president of the country. There has been no official communication on this issue between Kenya and the UAE.”
“I think it is important that we let things take legal channels because Kenya and the UAE have competent authorities who can do the job of investigating this issue,” the envoy said.
Related Stories
[ul]
[li]https://www.nation.co.ke/image/view/-/5125940/medRes/2350828/-/5j8cdbz/-/OREPIC.jpgOrengo, Joho defend Raila over gold scandal[/li][li]https://www.nation.co.ke/image/view/-/5125410/medRes/2350556/-/c2g0kg/-/Jared.jpgFake gold: Jared Otieno charged[/li][li]https://www.nation.co.ke/image/view/-/5124206/medRes/2349730/-/hygi2jz/-/E-passport1.jpgRuto allies plot to sack Matiang’i[/li][li]https://www.nation.co.ke/image/view/-/5121702/medRes/2348147/-/prkkdmz/-/wetpic.jpgThings noisy, messy for Wetang’ula[/li][/ul]
It was the first time the ambassador was publicly commenting on the gold scam, which emerged late last month.

The diplomat suggested that the matter is more of a private transaction between private firms than a matter of intercountry relations.
Despite claims of leaked letters showing UAE had written to the President of Kenya, Mr Al Mualla said the documents circulated online are fake because he would normally be the one to deliver them.

SABOTAGE
One of the people involved and identified as Ali Zandi and who claims he paid money for gold that was not delivered is said to be the nephew of Sheikh al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai, one of the seven emirates in the UAE.
The ambassador could not state whether the ruler had been involved in any gold importation from Kenya, but argued the man named Zandi is in fact not a native of UAE, and therefore could not be a nephew of the ruler.
“I can’t tell you if he (Zandi) exists or not, but who is he? Can anyone show me proof that the gold was going to the ruler of Dubai? I have not seen such a thing and I think someone was working hard to damage relations, which are cordial. Both Kenya and UAE are smarter than that,” he said.

As to whether the firm named in the scam existed, the diplomat said several UAE firms import gold from Africa for refining and it would not be unusual for deals to sometimes fall through.
“If there is a dispute between two companies, we are not the ones who are going to determine who is right or wrong. There is the law and if people have facts, they can go to court,” he said.
RELATIONS
The scam is said to have roped in senior Kenya government officials after brokers tabled their names, defending themselves on why the gold had not been released from the airport.
The ambassador said though President Kenyatta and the Dubai ruler enjoy close ties, the two have not met to discuss the gold scam.
So far, he argued, there has been no request for information from the Kenyan side on the scam, but the UAE will be “ready to provide any useful information if it involves the UAE government”.

2

it’s always been a private transaction…lakini the kenyan parties involved lazma watuonyeshe ni kuna beef ya inter-countries and so the state should seek a solution…for a blunder done by individuals

3

It matters not because no one will be jailed. The matter will soon be forgotten and none of these events will make Wetangula less famous to his voters or his villagemates. Actually he is now a bigger jogoo to his folks.

He is the jogoo that takes on Arabs. He is now viewed as a real mbirrionea to be envied by all and sundry and ready for statehouse duties.

4

Village Idler, you expect the ambassador to come out and say “Yes, it’s true. Our sheikh is involved in this murky business”? Mushienzi.

5

Ni wewe. It shows in your uncivility.

6

I thought that Zandi guy was working for a member of the UAE royal family.
The envoy denied Zandi but not his boss.
Ama the UAE govt wanataka kumaliza hii story polepole , maybe they dont want an investigation from the UN on dealing with blood tainted minerals from DRC.

7

I think the ambassador anamwagia hii story maji baridi ndo kesho Wetang’ular akionyeshwa billboard wasipewe lawama

8

Kitu ni hio trade haikuwa legal. So hawezi sema hadharani ni yake

9

This scandal is noisy, messy but will have no casualties.

10

Fraudsters from Dubai were conned by fraudsters from Kenya…street justice should prevail.

11

You forgot to add Lesson learnt:
It’s safe to hustle (Con)… in a big way… You (The house) will always win.