CORRIDORS OF POWER

Wealthy politicos financing an outfit opposed to DP William Ruto's presidential candidature were deflated after the emissaries sent to price them away from Tangatanga rejected a handsome offer of Sh20 million each. Despite using every trick in the book to cajole and even intimidate, the MPs from Mt Kenya allied to the movement stood their ground and reaffirmed their unwavering faith in their course. The MPs now say by rejecting the Sh20 million, some have seen old civil suits resuscitated, security withdrawn and online goons financed to wage attacks. They also say opponents have been funded to soil their names. It now remains to be seen what other covert means will be employed in last-ditch attempts to win them over.

Controversy is looming at a commission amid grumbling over a bully chairperson. The tension is so intense that the chief executive officer has been avoiding face to face meetings with the chairperson unless it is unavoidable. The standoff was sparked off by the chairperson's appetite for unjustified allowances. Corridors of Power is informed that the chair has been turning up in the commission's offices almost daily and then demanding allowances against the law. The chair has also been inviting gutter press for ambiguous interviews in the office and then demanding a token for the crews from the secretariat. It is only a matter of time before this matter explodes out of control. Definitely we shall stay on it and keep you posted when the rogue chair is exposed.

An employee at the Presidency, who had by proxy won a multi-billion contract to supply items to a lucrative parastatal, is in panic. There are reports that the firm which the official has been fronting to win big contracts is under the radar of investigative agencies. While he is not a director of the company said to have used political connections to win high-flying tenders, it has emerged that his in-law is a director. This has raised the red flag that the official could be a person of interest in the coming days as investigations move to a critical phase. It is only a matter of time before hell breaks loose in what could be a well-organised syndicate that has fleeced Kenyans through overinflated tenders.

Just what is happening between auctioneers and the Nairobi regional commissioner's office? Well, Corridors of Power has learnt that there is tension between auctioneers and the powerful office over claims of meddling. The auctioneers have accused the regional commissioner's office of having ordered all officers commanding police stations across Nairobi to desist from executing all court eviction orders until further notice. While the commissioner's office denies this, they, however, admit that some cases have been put on hold for national security reasons even as auctioneers cry foul. They claim they have been stopped from carrying out lawful court orders and risk contempt charges. An auctioneers' lobby has written to Interior PS Karanja Kibicho to intervene and arrest the situation before they suffer massive losses.