- Ex-PS in shame as successor, new CS finish stalled refurbishment in record time
- Western Kenya governor takes advantage of withheld funds to blame CoB for county underdevelopment.
We recently told you of a rogue administrator undermining his Cabinet secretary with the support of vicious and powerful private sector players. Well, sources whisper to Corridors that the administrator had a date with anti-graft detectives last month. Why? The man is said to have unexplained wealth. How he moved house from the average neighbourhood of Rongai to the plush Karen estate remains a subject of discussion in the ministry. The man was at the centre of a controversial multibillion-shilling procurement. Those in the know say a private sector player who runs a club is among his protectors. EACC bosses led by Twalib Mbarak should take note.
The recent Cabinet shuffle by President Uhuru Kenyatta appears to have been the magic wand needed in some docket often punctuated by sabotage, insubordination and defiance at the top echelon. The CS and the new PS are reported to have forged a terrific combination making things move swiftly and seamlessly, much to the amazement of staff. The duo has completed on record time refurbishment of a facility that had stalled for eons, with the ex-PS fingered for cutting deals with contractors and being keen to hog the limelight for credits. The former PS can only hang his head in shame as the two prepare for a busy calendar year.
Still on matters accountability, why would a supplier be so confident of always winning tenders? Sources whisper to Corridors that a major supplier in a coastal county has been bragging that he has the ear of the Health executive. As such, he has been the main supplier of a donor-funded project. Working with the CEC in the shady procurement deals is a woman in her 50s who is a long-time ally of the county minister. The two worked together at the national government. Why should anyone, perhaps secretly praying for a better country for her children, engage in graft?
The move by Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o to withhold funds allocated to counties until they meet certain conditions is a blessing in disguise for a governor from Western. The governor is now using Nyakang’o as a scapegoat for poor services. Whenever residents take him to task on poor services, he puts the blame on the CoB but tactically avoids telling residents that the county has received billions of shillings over the years. Despite county staff crying over delayed salaries, the governor has other ideas on how to turn a difficult situation to an opportunity.