HE projects himself as the defender of the rights of the downtrodden. But the Senator for Kakamega county Dr Boni Khalwale, “the bullfighter”, has had to endure the perception that he is a poor man who desperately requires protection from, well, himself.
During the debate on the censure motion against Amos Kimunya, then Finance Minister, he got a surprise.
Khalwale, then Ikolomani MP, was the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and had moved the motion accusing Kimunya of scheming for the sale of Grand Regency Hotel (now the Laico Regency) in a secret manner that did not comply with the law An animated debate took place, as Khalwale vanquished Kimunya on the floor with a mixture of oratory skills and antics much to the amusement of the House and the general public that followed the proceedings on television.
And as MPs flocked around Khalwale after the stellar performance in which Kimunya was thrown out, Cabinet minister John Michuki, who had been silent throughout the scintillating debate, sidled up to the man of the moment. He simply ignored the cacophonous cheers of excited MPs and went for Khalwale’s right hand.
He did not utter a word, but with the MP’s hand in his tight grip, Michuki made for the door of the Chamber. The short trip ended in the Members’ car park. Still silent, Michuki let go the hand and, in his typical domineering attitude, said, “My son you are a very brilliant MP....” the old man said. “You are doing a good job, no doubt.
But you must make up your mind. Look around this city... is there anything that Martin Shikuku owns? He was as brilliant as you. But he has nothing. You will end up like him if you don’t change your ways.
You will end up poor.” He then walked away, leaving behind a confused Khalwale standing. “That was his way of throwing tantrums at me for bringing down Kimunya. Michuki is the type of politician whose only understanding of politics is that you get into it to enrich yourself,” the 55-year-old senator said. On his decision to quit medical practice for politics, Senator Khalwale says it was overdue.
“I realised that even if I am a good doctor, I am not responsible for policy. Policy implementation is everything and people who change things are not doctors but politicians who control policy implementation.” Khalwale started politics during his days at the University of Nairobi, when he dabbled in student politics. He was among those suspended for 14 months over their support for the 1982 coup.
IN FIVE MINUTES
From the hospital to the August House 1960: Born in the then Kakamega district in Malinya village.
1981: Joined the University of Nairobi to study Medicine.
1982: Suspended from the university for 14 months following an attempted coup by rebellious officers of the Kenya Air Force.
1987: Graduated from the university with a degree in Medicine.
1997: Stood for the Ikolomani parliamentary seat on a Ford Kenya ticket and lost to JJ Mugalla of Kanu.
2002: Stood for the same seat and won on a Ford Kenya ticket. Ford Kenya was a constituent party of Narc.
2011: His election was nullified by the High Court on the account of irregularities. He was re-elected in the subsequent by-election.
2012: Joined the United Democratic Front (UDF).
2013: He is elected the Senator from Kakamega county. He is later elected the chairman of the County Public Accounts and Investment Committee of the Senate.
QUOTES
2014: “The charge sheet at the ICC does not refer to His Excellency the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Kenya, but it refers to Uhuru Kenyatta as an individual, hence this matter should not be changed to a matter of national concern.We have seen the deputy president attending court proceedings at the ICC and it has not generated a lot of interest because the case is about an individual and not his office. I am now wondering why people are anxious about this issue of Uhuru Kenyatta appearing at the ICC”.
2015: “I want to appeal to Willy Mutunga to intervene and ensure judges deliver justice. If those mentioned in corrupt deals use court to block investigations, Kenyans have nowhere else to turn to,” he said commenting on corruption at the Mumias Sugar Company.