Corridors of Power

Just why are top Jubilee leaders led by President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto silent on the plight of embattled Nairobi speaker Beatrice Elachi? This is the question some first-term MCAs were overheard asking after the assembly leadership vowed to reject her despite the court quashing her impeachment. One of them proposed that they should petition Jubilee secretary general Raphael Tuju to resolve the impasse. The former nominated senator has not returned to City Hall, a week after she won a case against the MCAs. Her position is still held by acting speaker Mwaura Chege.

A former ODM governor who has maintained a low profile since he lost his seat to a Jubilee candidate in the 2017 General Election is planning a serious comeback. He is said to be mobilising his campaign team and has met party leader Raila Odinga twice in the past month. The man has brought on board seasoned ODM politicians and is also reaching out to his foes to solidify his chances of clinching the seat he lost by a whisker. Next week, he will meet dozens of MPs and MCAs in a Nairobi hotel to strategise ahead of the 2022 political duel.

That a prestigious five-star hotel, whose ownership was the subject of public debate, lacks a system for diners to pay using visa cards baffles many. The hotel, frequented by senior politicians and leaders, takes hard cash from customers, irking some of them. The affected persons argue that the management has deliberately taken the decision to avert scrutiny by tax and other regulatory agencies. In the era of technology, the patrons say there is more than meets the eye as the problem has not been resolved for days, even after dozens of complaints.