• A new political outfit that nearly resembles URP has applied for provisional registration from the office of the Registrar of Political parties.
• The disquiet in a parastatal in the energy sector is huge. The latest controversy is ongoing recruitment of top managers.
Image: DPPS
Is somebody quietly trying to resuscitate Deputy President William Ruto’s defunct United Republican Party? Well, a new political outfit that nearly resembles URP has applied for provisional registration from the office of the Registrar of Political parties. The new party is called The People's National Republican Party (TPNRP). Red, yellow and green are its colours as was URP. Similarly, a horn is its symbol. Other parties that have applied for provisional registration are Usawa Kenya Party and the National Economic Development Party. Their owners remain unknown.
The disquiet in a parastatal in the energy sector is huge. The latest controversy is ongoing recruitment of top managers. Re-advertisement of one of the top jobs has triggered the latest anxiety. The re-advertisement was reportedly done to open a window for the return of a former general manager. It’s said the candidate did not apply for the job earlier because of her strained relationship with a top parastatal official who has since left. It’s, however, reported that the overall boss is now keen on her return. The two are said to be close family friends and best couples to each others’ weddings. So will nepotism end in public institutions? The lady seeking a grand return was fired for incompetence.
Panic has struck some counties after it became apparent that three outfits — the DCI, the EACC and the PPRA — have teamed up to reverse a growing trend of flagrant disregard for procurement rules and regulations ostensibly to favour certain suppliers. Those in the know say a cabal of super suppliers quote way above others but they are serially awarded multimillion-shilling business because they have warmed their way into the hearts of some operatives within counties and in most cases without governors' knowledge. These cunning suppliers target persons deemed to have close relationships with governors. Currently, six counties in Rift Valley and Mt Kenya are on the microscope concerning this emerging racket affecting leasing and framework contracts.
Two lawmakers from Nyanza who aggressively campaigned for their current governor are finding it hard in their own gubernatorial bids. Why? Some residents say the two MPs played a critical role in influencing the controversial reelection of the county chief. The performance of the said county has been so chaotic and is the subject of social media banter. Opinion leaders say the legislators knew the governor had failed but went ahead to campaign for him because of financial support. The lawmakers also knew the governor would be ineligible for another term in 2022 and sacrificed good governance on the altar of selfish interests. They want all of them to retire in 2022.