Despite the vote, it will be solely up to President Mwai Kibaki to decide whether Kimunya stays in office. The vote against Kimunya, who defended himself in the parliament against charges of corruption, passed by wide acclamation.

Last week's sale of the Grand Regency to a group including Libyan investors has deepened tensions in factions of Kenya's already fragile coalition government and been condemned as a corrupt deal by anti-graft watchdogs.

"My hands are totally clean on this transaction," Kimunya told parliament before the vote. Kimunya has generally been well-regarded as a steady hand on the tiller of east Africa's biggest economy, and a promoter of fiscal discipline.

In a stormy debate, members of the coalition government including fellow ministers supported the motion, urging Kimunya to resign because he had disregarded the country's laws on privatisation and sale of public property.

"(Kimunya) is today the prince of impunity ... The minister has his 10 fingerprints on corruption in this country," said legislator Bonny Khalwale, who moved the motion to censure Kimunya and demanded his immediate resignation.