The race to 2022 elections began taking shape after the infamous handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and the opposition chief Hon. Raila Odinga. Events that followed the handshake exposed Uhuru’s betrayal of his deputy, Dr. William Ruto whom he had promised to back upon expiry of his term.
Jubilee purge was the core of it all where the president directed that all politicians allied to his deputy be kicked from party leadership and parliamentary committees. The purge went on further with futile attempts to even kick out Ruto from the DP position or to push him resign but they only succeeded in uprooting him as the deputy leader of the ruling Jubilee party.
Ruto’s position was taken by little known Jimmy Angwenyi months after he had moved on and formed United Democratic Alliance (UDA Party) where he is the boss and has beaten Jubilee in many by-elections.
But despite the onslaughts targeting Ruto allied politicians and raw abuse of power where police and bodies like Kenya Revenue Authority and Ethics and Anti Corruption Commissions have been used to intimidate UDA politicians, the DP’s camp has interestingly attracted the president’s foot soldiers.
Speaker of the National Assembly Justin Muturi is the latest top leader from the President’s backyard to join Kenya Kwanza Alliance where Ruto is a top presidential contender.
Muturi who recently joined Senate Speaker Kenneth Lusaka in Kenya Kwanza had received the president’s backing prior to his coronation as Mt. Kenya Spokesperson in May last year.
His coronation was touted as a cultural event but had a huge impact on power and succession politics in the President Uhuru’s turf. The endorsement as GEMA spokesman boosted his political ambitions and he has carried it all to the Deputy President’s camp where he can negotiate for a running mate position.
After 9th August, Uhuru will be representing history and we must look to the future when we make decisions. – Justin Muturi pic.twitter.com/fi6xNS6hfN
It gave him all the guts to cast his political net beyond his Mt Kenya East region and try to forge the next direction for politics in the entire Mt. Kenya region.
“The idea is to be able to reach out to everybody and bring in as much as possible through persuasion, consultation and discussion. I am capable of carrying out the responsibilities elders will bestow on me” Muturi said.
And more interestingly, even Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru who was initially opposed to Muturi’s endorsement as the regions kingpin had shifted her allegiance from President Uhuru Kenyatta whom she dump for DP William Ruto.
They have tried to intimidate Waiguru through attempts to revive her corruption cases but with no success. She told off the president in one of the dailies that she has moved on and is comfortable in UDA, leaving Azimio old guards to settle for washed out politicians like Martha Karua and Kitui’s Charity Ngilu who is likely to lose her gubernatorial seat.
But even prominent politicians from the President’s home county of Kiambu have dumped him for William Ruto. Hon. Moses Kuria of Gatundu South is in Kenya Kwanza, Kiambu Women rep Gathoni wa Muchomba dumped Uhuru’s Jubilee Party for DP’s UDA, former Kiambu governors Ferdinand Waititu and William Kabogo are all in Ruto’s camp. Kiambu speaker and more than twenty MCAs have also expressed their support for UDA and Ruto’s bid.
The situation is the same in neighboring Murang’a County where Senator Irungu Kang’ata who is poised to be the next governor is dining with Ruto. The vocal Kandara MP Alice Wahome is with Ruto and so is Hon. Ndindi Nyoro of Kiharu Constituency.
Nyeri Governor Kahiga Mutahi, Nyeri County Assembly Speaker and a host of MCAs have publicly expressed their support for DP’s UDA party and his bid for presidency in the August polls.
A top Kenya Kwanza principal and ANC Party Leader H.E Musalia Mudavadi has joked that Uhuru will one day wake up and find that his bodyguards have deserted him.
Deputy President William Ruto offered ODM leader Raila Odinga and his ODM associates half of all senior government positions in return for helping the DP topple President Kenyatta soon after the 2017 elections, a key confidante of Mr Odinga, Junet Mohammed has revealed.
In a headline interview on Nation, Junet who was close during the impeachment talks and largely the emissary for the former PM, has come out to spill out the secrets of the details that would’ve seen the President toppled in a scheme he now says was hatched by the DP.
Junet says that the plot began immediately the President was re-elected in 2017, he attributes it to a meeting convened by the president in Statehouse immediately after the victory where he told the jubilee MPs he didn’t anyone playing second fiddle and he was going to take charge of the government fully.
Ruto in recent days, has told his supporters that in his second term, the president indeed asked him to let him rule fully.
According to Junet, it’s this development in the early stages that Ruto felt betrayed and started the impeachment scheme.
“The President hosted a Jubilee parliamentary group meeting at State House soon after he was declared the winner. In that meeting, it became clear that the honeymoon with his deputy was over. Mr Kenyatta told his party’s rank and file that he would not share power with anyone. The remarks alarmed his deputy as it meant it would not be business as usual,” Mr Mohamed is quoted by the newspaper.
Meetings at Tycoon Home
Junet admits that, indeed, had been talks to impeach the President, and that a prominent Rift Valley businessman who had lost out on lucrative government tenders—which he blamed on some people in the President’s inner circle —facilitated the meetings, which took place in a private residence in the Karen neighbourhood of Nairobi.
He says the first meeting to plot the impeachment took place on January 12, 2018, about a week after the President announced partial Cabinet appointments. It took place at the Karen home of the tycoon from Rift Valley.
According to the plan placed on the table, Mr Odinga’s ODM was charged with mobilising at least 100 lawmakers in the Senate and National Assembly to boost the numbers the DP would contribute from Jubilee and other fringe parties to make 234, the constitutional threshold to kick out President Kenyatta.
For the scheme to appear as an opposition agenda, Mr Mohamed says, their party was to move the impeachment motion in Parliament, and that MPs would have been bribed between Sh300,000 and Sh500,000 to vote in favour of the motion.
“We did not commit to the plan immediately, but retreated to interrogate the proposal first,” Mr Mohamed told the newspaper.
He admits that the deal was enticing but that Raila after reviewing the plan was not for it as he deemed that it would drag the nation back to the chaos.
President Uhuru Kenyatta looks on as Deputy President William Ruto and ODM leader Raila Odinga shake hands during a past meeting at the DP’s residence. Photo | Pool Photo credit: Pool
By then, the intelligence agencies had gotten wind of the secret talks, he claims.
“A senior and powerful minister from Nyanza called me with a stern warning. He asked why we wanted to take the country down the hill, why we wanted to destroy the country. It got us thinking, because with the government already in the picture, we needed to be careful on our moves. That’s when Raila chose to tell Uhuru the full extent of the plan,” Mr Mohamed says.
Handshake
Junet says the pronouncement by Jubilee Party vice-chairman David Murathe that Uhuru in his second was going to be a benevolent dictator didn’t go well with the DP camp. Political insiders say that in the first term the DP was allowed to do things the way he wanted, when Uhuru gave him half of the cabinet to fill in for instance, most of his appointees were from his community.
The President in several occasions has blamed massive corruption in the first term as a major derailment of his agenda. He has bragged that he accomplished more in his second term without his deputy.
Junet says that warning from statehouse honchos meant the DP would no longer run business as usual. He’s said to have amassed much of his wealth in that first term.
On DP’s talks with Raila, Junet says it was meant to stop the new, ruthless Kenyatta in his tracks, especially on his plans to rule by fiat in his second and last term in office. To the Ruto camp, this was a co-presidency, and the President needed to treat it as such.
Article 145 of the Constitution stipulates that a sitting Head of State can be kicked out on the grounds of gross violation of the supreme laws, or where he or she is suspected to have engaged in criminal activities, among others.
In this instance, Mr Mohamed said, the plan was to cite Mr Kenyatta for disobeying court of orders, and in other instances, he was accused to have been in violation of the Constitution.
Kenya’s bicameral Parliament needs at least two-thirds of its membership to support such a motion to sail through. Within seven days after receiving notice of a resolution from the Speaker of the National Assembly, the Speaker of the Senate needs to call a meeting of the Senate to hear the charges, and if at least two-thirds of all the members of the Senate vote to uphold any impeachment charge, the President ceases to hold office.
Under such circumstances, the Deputy President would assume office as President for the remainder of the term of the President.
Next
The latest revelations will definitely spark a fresh debate a topic in political rallies.
Meanwhile, there seem to be a serious power play behind the curtains as some of the wealthiest men in Kenya are hanging up to finance the men they had previously fell out with.
Jimi Wanjigi, a tycoon who bankrolled Raila Odinga’s campaigns in last election, is a man in a revenge mission that after he failed to outrun him in ODM, he bought Safina, hinted at working with Ruto and has vowed to block Raila from statehouse.
David Langat, Rift Valley tycoon fell out with Ruto in the first term of jubilee over tenders. Having bankrolled the party in 2013 elections, Langat expected to be rewarded. He was however kicked out of the laptop and SGR tenders. Langat has now made up with Ruto and said to be bankrolling his campaigns and of many others from the region.
As campaigns hit fever pitch with Kenyans expected to elect new leaders in the August 9 general elections, majority of the aspirants still remain a corruption tainted lot which has been the norm in Kenyan politics.
Kenyans have been blamed for their love of electing corrupt leaders then expecting anti-graft agencies to clean up their mess. Going by the history of our politics, some of the individual who will sail through in the August polls are characters whose details of corruption have been given out by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The vice is blamed on the political capital which is quite high for new entrants or individuals from humble backgrounds but tilting in favor of senior government officials who abuse their powers or network contacts for illegitimate private gain.
Kenyan politicians engage in political corruption through bribery, embezzlement of public funds, influence peddling, cronyism, extortion, patronage, parochialism and nepotism among others.
Criminals who have looted from public coffers always line up for elective positions in every election cycle and get elected as aspirants with integrity are rejected at the ballot.
But the voters or citizens who bear the biggest responsibilities in the democratic system have neglected their duties to elect good leaders and keep checks and balances once they ascend to office.
The role of a citizen in any democratic space goes beyond voting but to also keeping an eye at the national policies being implemented by the people they elect into public offices and raising their voice for or against policies that might hurt national cause.
Politician have instead learnt the art of corrupting this role by bribing voters with proceeds of corruption to turn a blind eye on their failures, tainted records and zero legacies as they seek or occupy public offices.
Some politicians also ride on the fact that a majority of voters are totally uninformed on their obligations in electoral process. This lack of information is partly blamed on the lack of proper civic education which favors political elites who are fond of corruption.
But proper civic education remains one sure method of making citizens understand their need to keep oversight on government policies before, during and after electoral process.
Lobby groups also need to keep constant pressure on the government and other relevant bodies to act rationally and concentrate on weeding out fundamental evils from the society.
But most importantly, citizens must understand their duties and responsibilities to fasten the move towards realizing a corrupt free, honest and dedicated leadership that can change the course of Kenyan history.
Cyprine Omogi is a Kenyan Education Officer who is also passion about good governance and realization of a graft free society.
President Uhuru Kenyatta used his address to Mt Kenya leaders yesterday to make a strong pitch for ODM leader Raila Odinga’s presidential bid and explain his beef with Deputy President (DP)William Ruto.
In no-holds-barred speech at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County, the President who has bitterly fallen out with a deputy who he only referred to as “that man”, warned Mt Kenya region to shun Ruto in the August 9 polls.
For the first time, the President revealed that he fell out with the DP after the 2017 General Election when he (Ruto) insisted that they should not negotiate with the their Opposition rivals to prevent violence despite loss of lives in parts of the country “because we have the government”.
Campaign megaphones
Uhuru, who mainly spoke in his Kikuyu vernacular, painted the DP as corrupt, selfish, greedy for power, impatient, dishonest and enemy of the region and one who has been using ill-gotten wealth to compromise the Church to help him exploit the ignorance of youth who are not conversant with the country’s social and political history.
Without mentioning his name, the President accused Ruto of blackmail by insisting that they share government equally after their first victory in 2013 to the exclusion of other Kenyans.
Uhuru said Ruto has been abusing the Bible and found support from Church leaders who have been reaping big from stolen government money through harambees and generous offertory.
“The church leaders, stop deceiving our people. Tell them the truth. But don’t just come here, just because you have received stolen money, you come here to lie to us? You can’t come here, give people stolen money and then you want to tell us where he should go while holding the Bible. You are then one headed to hell, not the people,” the President said.
Speaking today at Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County during a meeting with the region’s elected leadership and representatives of various special interest groups, President Kenyatta said peace was a prerequisite for development.
Ruto and his allies were also accused of using the Church to advance their interests and turning pulpits into campaign megaphones.
“The money that you are eating was the Sh3 billion supposed to be building a dam in Elgeyo Marakwet, so that children of God could get water to drink and farm. It’s pocketed then you come to the pulpit and donate Sh2 million and you sing to us halleluyah. You better receive hard earned Sh100 than Sh2 million that is from stolen money, yet one has denied someone justice,” he added.
Uhuru revealed that while he was keen on ending the 2018 post-poll violence that claimed several lives and saw destruction of businesses, during the protests by the National Super Alliance leaders ,who were claiming that their victory had been stolen, Ruto was pushing him to take a hardline position that would have led to more deaths and destruction “because we had the government”.
“How could I stay put? I have officers manning my gate, the people telling me, too, have officers, the one at the kiosk doesn’t have police. Then I am being told to stay put. If I did, am I the one who is suffering or the one in Mathare? Someone was telling me to stay put because we have the government,” he told thousands of attentive delegates drawn from the 10 Mt Kenya counties.
“No one would have raided my house, the ones who were advising me, no one would have raided their homes but the ones who elected me, who is guarding them,?” he posed.
To paint DP as hypocritical and dishonest, Uhuru said that during the 2013 elections when he teamed up with Ruto and his regions delivered more votes, the DP demanded half the government and he was forced to give in to “the blackmail”.
The President also revealed that despite his public denials, Ruto was well aware of the events leading to his March 2018 Handshake with Raila.
“When I was going to Harambee House to meet Raila, the DP was the last man I spoke to and he was in agreement,” the President said.
Uhuru highlighted his achievements for the Mt Kenya region, adding that the gains can only be consolidated in the hands of Raila to whom was keen to hand over power.
Uhuru climaxed his address with a plea to the delegates to support Raila and not Ruto who was “too risky for the country”, at least for now “but should he (Ruto) reform” he would be supported in subsequent elections.
Political direction
The meeting was part of the President’s campaign to seduce the populous region in support of Raila who is his preferred successor.
Ruto has also put up a spirited fight to lure the populous Mt Kenya region which is expected to provide the critical swing vote in the August General Election.
“I plead with you, let us support that man (Raila), push him so that he can succeed. And even that other man, if he will reflect and change his ways afterwards, we will support him thereafter because I have no problem with him, but for now, let it go as it’s supposed to (in favour of Raila),” Uhuru told the crowd that responded in the affirmative.
He indicated that he will be traversing the region, campaigning for Raila.
“Retired President Mwai) Kibaki left to me an economy of Sh5 trillion but today, and the person to whom I will bequeath the government, and he is that person you have mentioned (after crowd shouted Raila), I will leave to him an economy worth Sh13 trillion,” he said.
Perhaps to demonstrate that all was over with his deputy who has since founded the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) and hit the campaign trial, the President celebrated a temporary interruption of his speech with a song by Kikuyu musician Peter Kigia dubbed “Umuthi ndoiga reke tumanwo”, meaning today I have decided let’s part ways completely”.
The meeting meant to give the region political direction was attended by Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Chief Administrative Secretaries, sitting and former governors, MPs, MCAs, aspirants, cultural and church leaders, professionals, women and youth from the 10 counties that form the Mt Kenya voting bloc.
And in what pundits were quick to interpret as a signal on the choice of Raila’s running mate, Uhuru heaped praises on Agriculture minister Peter Munya, crediting him for reviving the agricultural sector, and severally asked if he should continue with the “good work”.
“Do you want Munya to continue with that work or you want to bring back those criminals? Shouldn’t he continue? Or what do you want,?” he posed amidst acclamation from the delegates.
The Sagana III meeting came on the same week when Uhuru’s Jubilee Party and Raila’s Orange Democratic Movement are expected to coalesce and endorse the opposition leader as their presidential candidate under the Azimio La Umoja umbrella, with a joint rally planned in Nairobi on Sunday.
Politician Jimmy Kibaki, who was present in Sagana, said Uhuru’s meeting could hurt Ruto’s fortunes.
“He addressed his people of Mt Kenya directly, and in a very eloquent and fatherly manner. He gave us the background of his current political position, as well as the direction the people should take. We have listened to him, and we will follow his advice. We appeal to him to spend more time in the region and ensure everything is done to make sure his desires come true in the upcoming elections,” he said.
Uhuru accused the DP of taking advantage of youth vulnerability due to lack of jobs, as well as lack of knowledge on the country’s past, to mislead them to support him.
For instance, he said that during the past years, Mt Kenya region was economically stable because it had tea, coffee and pyrethrum and dairy farming thriving but bad leadership ruined everything and even when the DP and his allied ministers served in the ministry of Agriculture, it only made matters worse.
“Those born from 2000 and below have seen development but they expect more and it’s okay. But they should also ask their parents what has been achieved, where have we come from? Ask them, they were educating children using tea, coffee and dairy pay, what happened and where did the money go that today we are in problems?
“Today you are being told that you lack because you are hustlers, but I swear to God that one day you will know the truth.”
Deputy President William Ruto has emerged as the fiercest critic of a government he played a key role in its formation only four years ago.
An opinion poll released on Wednesday indicated that most Kenyans now believed the DP was the leading voice against the Jubilee government even though he had a hand in the appointment of a number of those occupying various top positions.
The poll released by Tifa Research found that Ruto had moved ahead of the official opposition leader Raila Odinga and his counterparts, Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi and Wiper counterpart Kalonzo Musyoka in checking the ruling administration.
Active leader
From the study with a sample of 1,519 respondents, 34 per cent of Kenyans saw the DP as the fiercest critic followed by Raila at 24 per cent with 18 per cent not sure who is the country’s opposition leader.
“Asked to name the most active leader in terms of criticising the government, Ruto received considerably more mentions than the official leader of the opposition, Raila, a clear reflection of the current reality,” the pollster found.
The respondents were from the Central Rift, Coast, Lower Eastern, Mt Kenya, Nairobi, Northern, Nyanza, South Rift and Western.
Since the Handshake between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila in March 2018, the DP has largely been elbowed out of the government as the Head of State has preferred working with the ODM leader after entering into a truce following the 2017 post-elections dispute.
As Raila’s influence has grown in the ruling administration so has the DP’s dissipated.
Ruto was the face of the opposition to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) when all the leading politicians threw their weight behind it. The Initiative that aimed at amending various sections of the Constitution, including the expansion of the Executive, was a product of the handshake.
Supreme Court
The BBI Bill was passed by over 40 county assemblies and both Houses of Parliament, only to be thrown out by the courts before it proceeded further for constitutional breaches. It is presently before the Supreme Court.
His vocal allies were also kicked out of key posts in Parliament as infighting within the ruling government escalated. They were accused of associating with the DP.
Ruto’s growing criticism has attracted the anger of the President and his allies who have accused him of using state resources to fight the government he is part of. Recently, the President asked him to resign if he didn’t feel the government was in the wrong. The DP has often rejected the calls to quit saying he was legitimately elected and will service his full term.
At the same time, his United Democratic Alliance remains the most popular party with eight months to the 2022 elections. The poll found that 30 per cent of Kenyans aligned with UDA while 16 per cent associated with ODM, Raila’s party.
Jubilee came third with 5 per cent, ANC, Wiper, Ford-Kenya and OKA all had one percent support. A huge 40 per cent did not align with any party showing how undecided Kenyans were just a few months to the polls. Most of those aligned to UDA decamped from Jubilee, followed by ODM, Wiper and Kanu.
More than half of Kenyans also believe the state machinery to influence the next elections with 56 per cent agreeing government resources will be deployed to influence voters. Among these, UDA supporters were the majority followed by ODM and Jubilee.
Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria says it’s over for him and Jubilee, has reduced engagements with Ruto but still supports him.
This, days after endorsing Martha Karua as the best candidate for Deputy President citing her political CV.
In an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday, the Gatundu lawmaker said that he had been reduced to a public political commentator, adding that he had not picked a side yet.
“It is over for me and Jubilee. I will walk away from it officially on February 9 next year. For now, I am focused on helping people win elections,” Kuria said.
However, he curiously added that he would prefer working with Deputy President William Ruto (his longtime political friend), but he says the circumstances cannot allow him.
“William Ruto is my friend, we have suffered together. Do you know I was removed as vice-chair of the National Assembly’s Transport committee because of my association with Ruto?” he said.
“People who work with Ruto have been seen as opposition for a very long time. Do you know that I was also removed as a member of the Budget and Appropriations committee? Why? Because I am a friend of DP Ruto,” he said.
He however clarified that his reduced engagement had to do with the fact that joining United Democratic Alliance (UDA) entails abandoning his infant party Chama Cha Kazi (CCK).
“I hope for an opportunity to work with him (Deputy President) in future,” he said.
“I am not boarding in terms of folding parties. It has been tested and it failed terribly. Forming one party does not end well,” Kuria told Citizen TV.
Barely a fortnight ago, Kuria caused a stir online when he posted an opinion poll courtesy of his Chama cha Kazi party with projections of a two-horse race in the 2022 General Election.
The opinion poll, which lacks scientific proof, projects Raila’s win with over 52 per cent of the votes cast while Ruto trails behind him with about 48 per cent of the votes cast.
Former Lugari MP Cyrus Jirongo is known for being outspoken and never hesitates to speak his mind. Having made his fortune during Moi’s era, Jirongo who mentored DP William Ruto has grown to become one of his greatest critics, while DP has often chided his friend turned foe, Jirongo has never missed an opportunity to throw shades.
During the burial of slain businessman Jacob Juma whose murder was largely speculated on DP having an hand in, Jirongo shocked the nation when he revealed that he once witnessed Ruto strangle a young man to death.
In a latest interview with Daily Nation, Jirongo warned Kenyans against embracing the DP ahead of 2022 alluding that he’s dangerous for the prosperity.
“I know Ruto inside out. He’s power hungry, he may plot to remove term limits. You can laugh at neighboring countries that people are being battered but it can happen here.”
“In Kalenjin tradition, when you’re on the wrong you send elders to apologize for you. Ruto tried sending elders to Moi and the former President refused. What did he do that Moi defied Kalenjin elders? That’s a question you must ask yourself.”
“Some of the things we know about Ruto can’t be printed. Raila, Uhuru, Mudavadi, Martha Karua and me can’t work with him. Ask yourself why. Ruto worked for me for 7 years. Find out why I kicked him out.” Jirongo said.
In continuation of the interview, the father of many and husband to several and a boyfriend to several concubines, Jirongo doesn’t shy away from his lifestyle and revealed details. Below is an excerpt from the interview with Sunday Nation as he opened up on his personal life.
A number of your friends say that your major undoing is that you splash money around and are generous to a fault, that you can have Sh10 million today and fail to afford a meal tomorrow. Is that so?
What did I come with to this world? Why would I deny you to enjoy the extra that I have, that I want to hold it. When I came from my mother’s womb, I had nothing. It is through giving that you receive.
Do not watch a friend go through pains and problems because you are hoarding for your children. That is how we end up with drunkards because that person is cursing. If you have, do with your whole heart, that is the whole purpose of living, service. That is what is interesting in life.
When somebody tells you thank you, you feel very nice. That is the purpose of life, because you have served, because somebody appreciates what you have done. I believe that is what we must all do as human beings.
Families of prominent leaders have been left in chaos either for lack of a will or leaving a contested one. Do you have a will for your family?
My children are very good friends, they do not need a will. You see the way children grow, to understand somebody, you need to watch them in various instances. When they are alone, and they do not know you are watching. When they have money, when they are with their girlfriend, you tend to get a real feel of what your son, daughter is. I do believe they are good people because I have watched them grow, marry, earn money. I have seen how they behave with money and when they don’t have.
That may change when you are not there, especially because they have different mothers.
No, they will turn against that person who tries to poison their minds. I know them, they will turn against them very viciously.
How many children do you have?
(Laughs) Wanga, you know that we do not count children where we come from, you know it. We say we have many children, so I have many. They are several.
How many wives do you have?
That is also another topic on its own. They (children) come from several mothers but that does not make them not to be friends. They have grown up together, I have taken them to school together, there is nothing like this child belongs to this or that mother. It does not matter who their mother is, they all come from my house.
There is a time they used to go to Makini School in a bus. I had a minibus for all my children, you must have had that story. All my children used that minibus. They do not know those stories about daddy’s girlfriends.
Would you advise youth to have more than one wife?
Most men have more than one partner. The only difference is some of us do not know how to hide. People have mistresses here and there and know how to hide. Personally, I do not hide because whatever the product, it is my product, so why should I hide? I talk to my wives and tell them, there is this boy, there is this girl, and he or she is a member of this family.
The law allows polygamy. The law would not have allowed it if it was something bad. The law is just trying to remove you guys from where you are hiding because you all have mistresses. The law is just telling you, guys, do not bring us problems when you pass away, just do it, it is okay. Let the other members of the family know that she is not the only one. How I can advise a man? All of them are polygamous by nature.
Don’t your wives have a problems with you bringing other children to their homes?
Whether they take it well or not depends on the man. You have to put your foot down. You do not open that up for debate. When it comes to my children we do not discuss. Mtoto atakuja nyumbani (the child must come home). Otherwise, why are you a father? Why are you the leader of that home?
You know in your case, you are a man of means so you can afford. It is…
You are forgetting there was a time I slept in jail because I could not pay Bran Yongo 10 million shillings. People paid for me, including President Uhuru. Sometimes I have, sometimes I do not have because I do not have formal employment. I am businessman where today you make a profit and tomorrow you do not. Sometimes you have too much, other times you do not have, totally. They have also come to understand the dynamics of business.
What are some of the dos and don’ts in polygamy?
There is no uniform script for that. Let me tell you, those who pretend every Sunday that I am with my wife and we are going to church and so forth, it is a shocker. They are not living in reality. So much pretence around.
In the animal kingdom, where does an animal have one wife? And we are animals, the appetite for the male species is propagation of its genes and when you look, be it a lion or any other animal, they all try to own as many as possible. And I think that is how God made us anyway. Just be honest, do it openly and don’t leave problems behind where people are fighting saying they do not know each other. Be open.
That child is just as good as the children of your wife, give her or him his right to be known as your child and let that child feel proud that you are the father. Do not deny the child the good things. God meant the child to have a mother, a father, to be proud of her father. You know for children, the biggest hero is their father, they think no one can beat their father, so why do you deny them that? They think we are everything, do not deny your children that.
The cartels are said to have artificially created power shortages then introduced the so-called Independent Power Producers (IPP) which took over the production of power using diesel generators at a much higher cost
Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) face monumental operational losses blamed on graft cartels from within the company and to an extent, outsiders. Tough-talking interior cabinet secretary Fred Matiangi is leading the “rescue” team. This is not good news for embattled deputy president William Ruto.
DP Ruto latest key allies John Muenyesh (Petroleum) and Charles Keter (Power) have fallen by the wayside, as President Uhuru Kenyatta begins a purge at the power firm. Kenya Power has since the days of long-serving managing director Samuel Gichuru been nothing but a den of thriving graft cartels.
The cartels are said to have artificially created power shortages then introduced the so-called Independent Power Producers (IPP) which took over the production of power using diesel generators at a much higher cost. IPP’s sell power to KPLC at highly inflated costs, CS Mataingi says that this must “come down” by all means to save wananchi from punitive power charges.
Since the introduction of “Tokens” in recent years, there have been claims that DP Ruto was involved in single-source importation of the gadgets, transformers and concrete posts.
At the heart of Kenya Power rot are claims of inflated bills retaining “fixed costs” that the government says it had long waived in its efforts to expand electricity connections to the countryside
The energy sector has remained one of Kenya’s most grafts prone, in which “white elephants” in the Turkwell Gorge in Turkana and the Kerio valley have turned bureaucrats into overnight millionaires.
At the heart of Kenya Power rot are claims of inflated bills retaining “fixed costs” that the government says it had long waived in its efforts to expand electricity connections to the countryside.
A well-connected cartel is said to have been making millions from tokens through “smart” computer software manipulation of servers that allows deductions to end up in their pockets before the cash lands in KP coffers!
While it’s still a matter of wait and sees, the major re-alignments ahead of the Uhuru succession next year, and battle for lucrative state-related business could see matters take a turn for the worst.
The combative Mataingi says he is “ready” for any eventualities as he vows to clean up the power monopoly that does not even fall under his docket. And it’s a numbing blow to Ruto, who as an astute operator is widely claimed to have made good returns on tender supplies through members of his family including his older son.
Ruto now sees a drastic cut on his income like that of Jogoo road rental houses he had leased to Kenya Police and which was stopped by President Kenyatta in 2019.
There is a loud mumbling in Kalonzo Musyoka’s Wiper Party with junior politicians giving him ultimatums if he bends low to become Raila Odinga’s running mate for the third time.
A section of Ukambani lawmakers led by Kitui senator Enock Wambua warned Kalonzo that such a move will lead to automatic withdrawal of their support.
The politician are urging Kalonzo to man up and better his chances of capturing the country’s top seat or lose their support to the Deputy President Dr. William Ruto whose UDA party is making inroads into the region.
But pundits also argue that the MPs who are against Kalonzo supporting Odinga are only doing so to benefit from the former VP’s influence to win re-election.
Kalonzo who appears to have been shocked by the daring move from his would be sycophants has not reacted to the MPs calls, meaning he could be in agreement with the leaders.
He has bragged over his long political resume either as observers point that the ultimatum has not gone down well with him. Reports that the ground is shifting to Ruto can only spell doom to a man who is nothing without the Kamba voters solidly behind him.
There are also reports that the MPs are not being used by any politician to influence Kalonzo meaning there could be truths in their calls.
This section of politicians are against Raila who has been having under hands in portraying his competitors as weak politicians in their home turfs.
The move is a clever way of luring Kalonzo not support Raila for the third straight time without success but instead join Ruto since everybody knows that Kalonzo cannot win the presidency if he goes for it.
But Kalonzo cannot make the brave move since he has been pocked by President Uhuru Kenyatta who is out to shoot his deputy’s dreams of becoming the next president of Kenya.
Uhuru himself has failed to stop Ruto from making inroads into his Mt. Kenya backyard where elected leaders are shifting the allegiance to the DP on daily basis.
The president is pushing Kalonzo to back Raila but reliable sources revealed to KI that the MPs move is a way of telling him to keep off Kamba politics and let the make an alternative move.
ODM nominated MP Wilson Sossion is now set to join United Democratic Alliance (UDA) associated with the Deputy President Dr. William Ruto as he prepares to go for Bomet senatorial seat in 2022. Sossion claimed that the village elders who have endorsed his senate bid also directed him to join a party that resonates with the region as he popularizes his candidature.
“They say charity begins at home. Today in my residence, the elders of Motigo sublocation in Bomet Central have decided to endorse my senate aspirations in 2022. The elders have advised me to stick on the prize and avoid backing any politician but to support DP Ruto in his 2022 presidential bid,” Sossion said.
The former KNUT secretary general had hinted at running on Chama Cha Mashinani (CCM) party ticket but has finally made the bold move to join ODM’s arch rival to reap from the influence and support that DP Ruto enjoys in the region.
CCM is owned by former Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto, a one time fierce critic of Deputy President William Ruto who also pledged to throw his support behind the country’s second in command’s 2022 bid.
Sossion was nominated to parliament by ODM owner Raila Odinga who is expected to face off with UDA’s Ruto for presidency in 2022. He was however expected to ditch ODM after he was technically ‘kicked out’ of KNUT following a heated battle with the government and Teachers Service Commission but delayed the move that everyone had seen coming.
He is eyeing the Bomet senatorial seat which is currently occupied by Christopher Andrew Langat who has been accusing Governor Hillary Barchok of incompetence. In May 2021, Langat verbally attacked the governor challenging him to sack all health officials at the county over the incompetent manner in which they are running the department.
But Senator Langat has not declared whether he will be going the county’s top seat or defending his senate seat as the outspoken Sossion makes clear his intensions to oust him. Sossion’s move to join Ruto’s party is a big blow to ODM which is desperate for a point man in the region but a boost for DP who has been poaching ODM politicians since 2013.
“I am grateful for the time I have served as nominated MP on ODM ticket. I want to thank my brother Raila Odinga and my colleagues in ODM. Am now seeking UDA ticket to run for Bomet Senatorial seat,” Sossion added.
The outspoken Kakamega Senator Bwana Cleophas Malala is a confirmed DP William Ruto’s operative planted in Amani National Congress party’s inner circles to fetch secrets and pass to Ruto who bought him off when he was struggling to build his Kakamega home.
Malala was introduced to the Deputy President by the former Sports Secretary, Rashid Echesa in 2016. He was lacking funds to build his house when when Ruto gave him Sh3 million shillings and several hand outs afterwards. But having his houses funded by other men is his thing, even his Kitengela home is said to have been funded by the flashy Mombasa governor Hassan Joho.
He has financial relationships with the bosses of rival parties but still in Mudavadi’s ANC summit where he is not building but leak the former VP’s classifieds and strategies to political rivals. The first term senator and former Mahiakalo ward MCA now has eyes set on the county’s top seat which will fall vacant when governor Oparanya’s term expires next year.
Malala plans to run on ANC party ticket where he pretends to be a die hard supporter of Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi but he dines and wines with DP Ruto at night. He has been spotted leaving the DP’s Karen at the dead of the nights on several occasions.
Senator Malala, DP William Ruto [p/courtesy]But this mole has been controversial like that even when he played the same role for ODM till August 2020 when their relationship ended in tears. Before his return from ODM, Malala was so defiant to Mudavadi that he even dared ANC party to occasion a senatorial in November 2019. He was hyped because the same ODM that unceremoniously kicked him out last year was ready to hand him a direct ticket then.
He survived a possible expulsion from the party courtesy of ODM ties but later played the orange party when he signed a new snitching contract with the DP Ruto who wants to be Kenya’s next president.
Malala went back to ANC last year and has been one of the most vocal leaders elected on ANC ticket who are pushing Mudavadi to go for presidency. But he is a Mudavadi man during the day and Ruto’s hench-boy at night. ODM leader Raila Odinga also accused him of pocketing handouts from competing camps in August last year when young senator complaint that gunmen were trailing him.
He is now deep into UDA’s affairs in Western region and Kakamega where the DP appears to favor him over former Kakamega senator Boni Khalwale who is doing funeral politics with UDA leaders in Ukambani. Khalwale is also eyeing Kakamega gubernatorial seat through UDA ticket but Malala’s close friendship with Ruto might jeopardize his ambitions.
Politicians allied to the Deputy President Dr. William Ruto now want Interio CS Fred Matiang’i to provide a list of properties owned by other VVIPs after he exposed details of properties owned by Ruto and the number of security details attached to them.
Matiang’i was appearing before the National Assembly Security Committee where he revealed that there are 257 highly trained officers guarding the country’s second in command.
He further exposed the details of Ruto’s security detail which he said is divided in three layers with the inner the layer consisting of 74 officers drawn from the presidential escort team, 5 highly trained GSU officers and six DCI who provide personal protection to the president’s principal assistant.
Matiang’i said the second layer has 121 officers drawn from the Administration Police and Prisons Service who are guarding Ruto’s many homes while the outer layer provides security to DP’s businesses, economic life and places he spends most of his time.
The CS who was in a politically charged session went ahead to reveal that 6 officers are guarding Ruto’s Kitengela Gas, ADC Laikipia Ranch 6, Dolphin hotel 6, Matter farm Eldoret 6, Weston hotel 6, Murumbi land 6, Elgon View private residence 4, poultry Farm Eldoret 4, private Residence Eldoret 4 and Wilson Airport private hanger 4.
Interior CS Fred Okengo Matiang’i [p/courtesy]Ruto had earlier stated that summoning Matiang’i over the downgrading of security detail guarding his official Karen was a waste of time as he called on parliament to address pressing issues like delicate security in northern Kenya where bandits are having a field day.
“Parliamentary time should not be wasted on non-issues. The AP is a professional security service and those who think it’s a downgrade are wrong. Parliament should instead focus on deployment to serious security situations in areas where bandits are causing mayhem and destruction,” DP said in a tweet.
But the DP ‘s office has dismissed Matiang’i list of some of the properties listed as false and reckless. Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei challenged the CS to provide a list of properties owned by all the VVIP’s and the number of police officers attached to them including the dead.
Matiang’i was expected to explain to Kenyans why the State withdrew Ruto’s security but Matiang’i dodged the questions and Ruto’s for what looks like a political expediency move.
Instead of explaining to Kenyans why the government withdrew DP's security, the CS interior went to parliament to tabulate his properties for political expediency. Now tell us what others own and the security deployment to those properties.
The Law Society of Kenya President Nelson Havi also described Matiang’i and Interior CS Karanja Kibicho as grandmasters of alternative facts and lies. He also accused Matiang’i of hoodwinking the parliament after the CS evaded the fact that GSU officers at the offices and residences of Ruto were replaced with AP officers.
Deputy President William Ruto has written to the Inspector General of police seeking an explanation on the withdrawal of security at his official residence in Karen.
This after the security officer in charge of General Service Unit attached to his residence informed the Deputy President that he had received verbal orders to withdraw GSU officers effective 2pm Thursday afternoon.
Communication Secretary in the Office of The Deputy President David Mugonyi says the withdrawal extends to all his residences, adding that no explanation was offered for the unlawful act.
“The decision has been made contrary to the Police Service Standing Orders Chapter 8 section 5(E) that the GSU Commandant shall be responsible for the security of the President, the Deputy President, State Houses and Lodges,” He said.
Mugonyi says the withdrawal is the latest installment in a sustained and systematic effort to undermine the Deputy President’s personal security in pursuit of political vendetta saying it exposes him to personal harm.
Mugonyi further highlights several instances where security agencies have been used to frustrate the Deputy President among them the recent disruption of Mahoo MCA funeral where he was in attendance.
“In January 2020 Government officials acting with authority looked out the Deputy President out of his official residence in Mombasa which remains locked to date,” He added.
In response, The National Police Service says the withdrawal of security at Deputy President William Ruto’s official residence is a normal reassignment of duties within the service.
“The Security of Government Buildings (SGB) has been deployed to provide general security to the official residence of the Deputy President from the General Service Unit,” He said.
Shioso further added that the “Presidential Escort Unit continues to provide close protection security to the Deputy President.”
The withdrawal was condemned by elected leaders in the Country with Nairobi Senator Johnson Sakaja saying providing the Deputy President with security isn’t a favour and Police officers and their bosses must stop playing politics with it.
“I am not associated with DP Ruto but it’s reckless and careless to withdraw his security and it should be reinstated immediately. The Inspector General of Police Hillary Mutyambai, Interior CS Fred Matiangi and Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho should be held accountable if anything happens to the Deputy President,” He said.
Former vice president and Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka on Wednesday appeared before the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in Nairobi where he was grilled over allegations of grabbing 200-acre piece of land in Yatta.
Kalonzo who accompanied by his lawyer James Orengo said he was summoned by the DCI to shed light on how he acquired the land in Yatta, Machakos county. The politician who had also been questioned by DCI land fraud team in January arrived at the DCI Headquarters along Kiambu Rd, Nairobi at 10.30 am said he was on a mission to clear his name after Deputy President Dr. William Ruto accused of grabbing the land belongs to the National Youth Service.
“….just arrived at the Director of Criminal Investigations accompanied by my legal team to honour the summons ……I own the land legally, the claim by the Deputy President is outrageous and I challenge him to substantiate his allegations,” Kalonzo said.
The Wiper leader who is eyeing presidency in the coming 2022 elections was blasted by DP Ruto who accused him of doing nothing to his people other than grabbing the prime plot in his rural home after decades of in government.
But in his defense, Kalonzo trashed DP’s allegations as wild and desperate propaganda, describing himself as a person of “high moral and ethical standards” without stains of corruption.
Kalonzo who worked with Ruto in Moi administration was the first to accuse the country’s second in command of corruption, citing a case where the DP was charged with grabbing land belonging to a businessman in his Rift Valley turf wher he lost the case and was ordered to return the land.
The Wiper leaders who was also accompanied by his political allies including Makueni senator Mutula Kilonzo Jnr and Makueni Mp Dan Maanzo challenged the DP to follow suit and present himself before the DCI for thorough scrutiny.
“I have nothing to hide and I today challenge the authorities to open an investigation into this matter. I am today presenting myself for a thorough investigation by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations as well as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.” Kalonzo said.
The Deputy President William Ruto is hinting at fielding former West Pokot governor Simon Kachapin to fly the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) flag in the 2022 West Pokot gubernatorial race. Kachapin will face off with the incumbent, John Lonyangapuo and other ‘small’ aspirants.
Ruto’s choice for Kachapin is informed by the fact that the former governor is currently enjoying some growing political fortunes in West Pokot while Lonyangapuo’s popularity is crumbling.
Lonyangapuo is accused of presiding over corruption scandals in the semi-arid county with a section of his administration appearing before the anti-corruption court to answer to looting charges. He is also accused of being too authoritative and running the county without consulting with other top county officers.
West Pokot county governor John Lonyangapuo [p/courtesy]The KANU governor who appears confused over DP Ruto or ODM leader Raila Odinga might face his predecessor, Kachapin, who is likely to use UDA as his new political vehicle next year. In 2013, the two politicians were in KANU when they ran for senate (Lonyangapuo) and governor (Kachapin) positions.
But Kachapin has remained Ruto’s man since then when Jubilee was still a coalition comprising of TNA, URP and many briefcase parties including Kanu. He was elected a governor in 2013 but was defeated by Lonyangapuo in 2017.
They are set to face-off through different parties next year but Lonyangapuo will be carrying the burden of a dismal performance. He has failed to deliver most of his promises with only 13 months left to the next polls.
DP William Ruto during a recent rally in West Pokot [p/courtesy]He blames his performance on the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic but Ruto whose support is sweeping across his county [West Pokot] is succeeding in luring Kachapin to abandon KANU for his ‘Hustlers Movement’ and oust Nyangapuo in 2022.
Kachapin is currently enjoying warm receptions whenever he visits the county. The growing support is also attributed to his association with DP Ruto and UDA brigade. The man who is currently serving as chief administrative in the Sports ministry is confident of reclaiming the seat he lost in 2017 when Lonyangapuo is pleading for patience.
The DP who has his eyes set on presidency recently visited Kitalakapel area where he mentioned Kachapin’s name and the crowd cheered and to cement his preference for the former governor, he later hosted MPs and MCAs from W/Pokot at his Sugoi home where he asked them to back Kachapin’s candidature.
The Sport’s CAS is relying on the infrastructure development and the construction of the Kapenguria Medical Training College, Kapenguria campus which were established during his tenure to sell his come back.
Lonyangapuo is left with a handful supporters and a track record that is tainted with unfulfilled promises, poor working relationship with other county government workers, corruption and embarrassment.
Other than the governor’s nude photos going viral across whatsapp groups and other social media platforms lin 2022, his adminstration’s water department is being investigated over a Sh300 million that was looted through ghost projects.
The EACC detectives investigating the matter raided the homes of the county’s top officials and county government offices where they confiscated vital documents.
Jubilee administration has been a show case of ‘street leadership’ since it captured power in 2013. The administration saw the emergence of questionable characters ascending to leadership positions under the disguise of ‘youth leadership’. Even the summit of the regime of the day got into power while facing charges of rape and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Hague, Netherlands.
Many leaders elected under TNA or URP that formed the coalition then were also characters who reduced the threshold for leadership in Kenya. Former Kamukunji Mp Simon Mbugua, has always been at the centre of controversies, three years ago the EALA legislature was arrested and charged for ganging up with goons to attack a city businessman whom they jointly robbed Ksh 100,000.
“Jointly with others before the court you robbed Timothy Muceru Muriuki KSh 100, 000 and immediately after the time of such robbery injured him,” the charge sheet read in part.
And despite being a powerful guy, the prosecution did not object to the request to release Mbugua on bond, they only asked the court to slap him with affordable bond as it turned a blind eye to his influential that he could use to interfere with the witnesses.
But Simon Mbugua is just one among many of such characters in Jubilee, the former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko is running unknown businesses and is filthy rich. Like the outgoing Mombasa governor Hassan Joho, Sonko has been a rumoured drug pusher for so long to be innocent.
Zaheer Jhanda flaunting proceeds of money laundering [p/courtesy]The sycophantic supporter of the Deputy President William Ruto has inspired many upcoming politicians with questionable sources of wealth to join politics, where it’s easy to rinse dirty money.
The trend is now becoming the norm, young and flashy politicians like Zaheer Jhanda are now trooping behind the DP William Ruto who is now viewed as the man to beat for the country’s presidency in 2022.
Quite a number of parliamentary seat aspirants around the DP have been associated with money laundering, looting of public funds and ‘gangsterism’ which they deny and loosely blame on political witch-hunt.
It is becoming clear that the DP who has made inroads into regions considered Raila Odinga’s strongholds is lining up crooks and money launderers to buy the support of the people as he sells his ‘hustler vs dynasty’ narrative.
In February 2021, Dagoretti North MP Simba Arati accused the DP of doing rounds with money launderers while addressing mourners at a funeral service in Kisii. The remarks forced Arati’s South Mugirango counterpart Slyvanus Osoro, a sycophantic Ruto follower to jump onto the podium where the two leaders exchanged kicks and blows. The Dagoretti lawmaker had called on DP Ruto to keep off the company of budding politicians who he accused of defrauding other Kenyans.
DP William Ruto and Zaheer Jhanda during a past event in Kisii [p/courtesy]But Ruto who seems to be charming the residents of Gusiiland has continued to find more fraudsters as his point-men in the Gusiiland. He now has one Zaheer Jhanda who is poised to become the next Member of Parliament for Nyaribari Chache Constituency.
Jhander is a fraudster millionaire who is always implicated in the fake gold scandals including one where he conned a Saudi royal Sh250 million. The flashy scammer was also embroiled in a Sh12 million car loan dispute with the KCB bank after defaulting several times.
The lender gave charlatan Jhanda the money he used to buy a new Mitsubishi Fuso Tipper Truck from Simba Corporation Limited for Sh8,917,650 but he only serviced the loan for six months until June 2015 when it lapsed into arrears.
KCB repossessed the vehicle and sold through a public auction by Leakey Auctioneers on April 26, 2016 for Sh5.18 million when its market value was Sh6.87 million. Jhander was still left with an outstanding loan balance of Sh12,103,943.50 as at November 2016 which continues to accrue interest.
But DP hardly leaves out the fraudster in his trips to Kisii where he repeatedly presided over fundraisers for a Boda Boda Saccos. In September 2020 when the DP donated Ksh2million, he was accompanied by South Mugirango MP, Sylvanus Osoro, Dagoretti South MP, John Kiarie, and the shadowy businessmen Zaheer Jhanda and Don Bosco Gichana.
Gichana is another hardcore con who became a free man in 2018 after serving a five year jail term in Arusha Tanzania where he was arrested over money laundering. He is now eyeing the Kitutu Chache South parliamentary seat in the 2022 elections through Ruto’s UDA party.
Members of the One Kenya Alliance alias ‘Cerelac Coalition’ are pleading with their BBI partner Raila Odinga to avoid any political dealings with the Deputy President William Ruto. KANU Secretary General Nick Salat took to his tweeter handle to beg the ODM supremo not to associate himself with Ruto claiming it will tarnish his image as a statesman.
Mr Salat speaks for Kanu boss / Baringo Senator Gideon Moi – a member of the One Kenya Coalition whose colleagues are accusing Odinga of changing tact over s deal to back them after 2017 polls. Wiper’s Kalonzo Musyoka, ANC’s Musalia Mudavadi and Ford-Kenya’s Moses Wetangula have challenged Mr Odinga to return an hand after they stood with him in the past two elections.
The SG spoke after the Kanu chairman and Muhoho Kenyatta held a closed door meeting with ODM party leader Raila Odinga at his Karen home on Tuesday.
President Uhuru Kenyatta and Raila Odinga also made impromptu visits to inspect the Green Park Bus terminus at Nairobi’s Railway Station in the company of Odinga on April 1.
On Tuesday emissaries were sent to lure Odinga not to work with Ruto though Moi claimed on his Twitter account that the visit was to check on Raila who has recovered from the Covid-19 which he contracted last month .
I am deeply impressed by The Rt. Hon. Raila Odinga's quick and steady recovery; a clear indication of his resilience even in the face of adversity. We wish him good health, long life and boundless joy as one of our country's foremost patriots. pic.twitter.com/H13ZfdgHTB
This comes at the time when the country is witnessing new political realignments ahead of the 2022 General Election with Raila rumored to be distancing himself from the One Kenya Alliance and getting ‘cosy’ with William Ruto.
Ruto and ODM deputy party leader Wycliffe Oparanya also met at Mahali Mzuri camp in Masai Mara National Reserve together with the former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri and former Sports CS Rashid Echesa.
Raila is considering an alliance with his rival Deputy President William Ruto while at the same time struggling to keep his relationship with his handshake partner, President Uhuru Kenyatta.
DP Ruto also hinted at working with the ODM) leader Raila Odinga as he continues to criticise One Kenya Alliance formed by Amani National Congress (ANC) leader Musalia Mudavadi, Kanu chairman and Baringo Senator Gideon Moi, Kalonzo Musyoka of Wiper party and Ford Kenya’s Moses Wetang’ula as a coalition of tribal parties.
But the ‘cerelac coalition’ needs someoen of Odinga’s stature and charisma to psyche it up and make it a formidable force ahead of 2022. All members including the former VPs Musyoka and Mudavadi lack national support.
Central Organisation of Trade Unions Secretary General Francis Atwoli will seek re-election for a record fifth term after the state directed all trade unions in the country to carry out elections. Atwoli will retain his seat with his allies also expected to win plum positions through a power sharing formula which has been the norm at the organization.
“I would like to remind all trade unions, employers’ organisations and federations that the last elections were held in the year 2016 and the next elections are the due next year 2021,” states the circular read in part.
Atwoli was elected to the powerful credentials committee in 2018 to supervise and manage the election of the International Trade Union Confederation two years after won his fourth five-year term.
COTU boss Francis Atwoli after meeting Luhya leaders in his Kajiado home [p/courtesy]So far no opponent has emerged to challenge Atwoli who is desperate to win another term and complete unfinished projects including the construction of Tom Mboya Labour College.
The outspoken COTU boss Atwoli solicited funds through his international networks to refurbish the college to a state of art institution earning him an endorsement by a section of the delegates and Kenya Plantation Workers Union during elections held at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu.
Atwoli who considers himself a power broker is also active in national politics where he has been drumming support for Luhya unity ahead of the 2022 general elections. He also hosted a meeting of Luhya leaders where Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi was installed as Mulembe nation’s kingpin.
COTU was founded in 1965 after the Kenya Federation of Labour and the African Workers’ Congress were dissolved but analysts argue that Atwoli’s close relationship with the deep state will make it impossible for any candidate to challenge or defeat him in the polls.
The authoritative trade unionist enjoys powerful connections within local and international trade unions and fighting him ends in futility like when DP William Ruto tried to sponsor a splinter union after Jubilee ascended to power. Ruto failed terribly.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has neutralized the spirited move by his allies to eject Deputy President William Ruto as the Jubilee deputy party leader. Kenyatta pulled the surprise move as the National Management Committee-the second most powerful organ with sweeping powers-meets review their decision.
The NMC is expected to reverse its earlier decision to have Ruto ejected as the deputy party leader of the ruling Jubilee party. The committee recommended the removal of Ruto and was only awaiting ratification by the National Executive Committee this week but NMC is today expected to drop Ruto’s ejection after President Kenyatta intervened.
Reliable sources revealed to KI that the President is not keen on having Ruto stripped of his powers as the Jubilee deputy leader although he has technically walked out and running the affairs of UDA Party.
But the move eject Ruto from the Jubilee Party leadership was expected to face legal challenges since the party’s Constitution provides that the deputy president automatically assumes the role of the party’s deputy leader.
Besieged: DP Dr William Ruto [p/courtesy]Jubilee’s second termed has been marked with waves of purges that have routed out politicians allied to the deputy president. Murang’a Senator Irungu Kang’ata was fired from his Majority Whip seat in early 2021 days after nominated senator Isaac Mwaura also ditched the president for Ruto’s Tangatanga.
Many had also been kicked out last year including the Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen who was the majority leader, former committee chairs John Kinyua (Devolution), Samson Cherargei (Justice and Legal Affairs (JLAC)), Christopher Lagat (Education) and Mithika Linturi (vice chair JLAC).
But efforts to eject DP Ruto as Jubilee deputy party leader has left the ruling party divided right in the middle with a section of members of the powerful NMC piling pressure on party leader President Uhuru Kenyatta to convene a meeting on Tuesday this week to proceed with the ouster.There is also another faction that has adopted a wait-and-see approach.
The soft spoken Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa is the errand boy running Jubilee Party operations in Trans-Nzoia County. He recently led a countermove to DP William Ruto’s tour of the region when he hosted the Interior CS Dr. Fred Matiang’i who inspected small projects as they drummed up support for the BBI document.
Also in the tour were Cherengany MP Joshua Kutuny and Trans Nzoia Assembly speaker Joshua Werunga who is eyeing the governor’s seat in 2022.
Wamalwa’s tour was to send a signal to the Deputy President William Ruto who controls the vote rich rift region that he is a budding opponents. He called in Matiang’i who is seen as the man being used by the system to cut Ruto to size and Kuttuny who succeeded DP’s henchman and Soy MP Caleb Kositany who was recently sacked from the position of the deputy secretary-general of Jubilee party.
CS Wamalwa emphasized that the projects they toured were financed by President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration and not by the Deputy President who has been traversing the county and launching projects.
He is accredited for luring the Trans Nzoia County Assembly with majority Jubilee MCAs to pass the Building Bridges Initiative Bill to massage his 2022 presidential dream. Wamalwa enjoys the support of less influential Kanu party officials like Pius Arap Kauka who has thrown salvos at Ruto’s allies for opposing the BBI drive. Kauka told off Endebess MP Robert Pukose who accused Trans Nzoia MCAs of accepting the car grant bribe to vote in favor of the Bill.
Pukose is the man leading Ruto’s campaign’s in the county alongside women representative Janet Nangabo, Kakai Bisau and Abraham Sing’oei who are both working at the DP’s office.
Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa and his Interior counterpart Fred Matiang’i. [p/courtesy].As Wamalwa fumbles to tackle DP Ruto’s influence in the county, talks are also underway with a section of elders pushing Wamalwa to utilize his ministerial status and run for the gubernatorial seat in 2022 or vie for a parliamentary seats to allow him to ascend to the national politics if BBI Bill is adopted. BBI will allow the president to pick ministers from parliament but he still shies from making such plans public.
“I will declare my political aspiration at the right time after getting views from residents of this county at the right time. I am currently focused on discharging duties bestowed upon me by the president,” Wamalwa told the Standard Newspaper in 2019.
Many politicians from the county have lined up to occupy the seat currently by Patrick Khaemba including Kiminini Mp Chris Wamalwa of the Ford-K party, Dr Stanley Tarus, Dr Abraham Sing’oei, Kakai Bissau, Janet Nangabo, Moses Khaoya, and Philemn Samoei.
Former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission chief executive officer Ezra Chiloba has been mentioned as a possible gubernatorial candidate or an aspirant in Kwanza constituency until the ICT CS Joe Mucheru has appointed him the Youth Enterprise and Development Fund board director.
That’s a blessing to Wamalwa whose head of women caucus, Dorcas Njenga, has hinted that he is waiting for the BBI outcome to decide his next move which could be a county or national seat but he is aware that he lost touch with that the grassroots after he was made a cabinet secretary.
Wamalwa is lying on the waning influence of Governor Khaemba after BBI and 2022 politics brought them together. Khaemba is serving his final and Eugene Wamalwa could be desperate for his endorsement.
