Home Blog Page 2

Millie to Wanga: Show us the Sh8 billion county government development projects as battle rages on

By
lom robb
-
0

By Team

For a long time, Homa Bay residents have been treated to politics of rhetoric over development, and now with the fallout between Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, tough questions have emerged.

The battle has shifted from the politics of zoning to accountability and transparency over the Sh8 billion that had been earmarked for development for the last four years in the county from the development fund.

Millie threw the challenge to Wanga to table her development projects and said she must stop posting national government projects as county government projects.

Millie said she was ready for a comparative analysis of her NG-CDF projects against Wanga’s county government projects.

She said they will not allow projects implemented by the national government, NGOs, and other development partners to be counted as projects of Wanga’s administration.

“We will not allow projects by NGOs or the National Government to be paraded as County projects or NGCDF projects. So do not put a photo of the Homa Bay Fish Market, the Homa Bay Stadium, or any other. Those are projects done by the National Government. The CEO of the National Government is President Ruto,” she said.

Millie said it was time the people of Homa Bay spoke openly about development and not political rhetoric.

“I have seen people have moved to the topic I wanted to bring next week on development, so we shall start village to village. NGCDF vs County Funds,” she said.

Wanga battles PS Omollo over national government projects

In the recent past, the people of Homa Bay and the country have been treated to a battle over national government development projects in the county.

Internal Security Permanent Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo, ahead of the Madaraka Day celebration held in Homa Bay last year, credited President Ruto for turning the fortunes of the once sleepy town.

Omollo said the decision to hold the fete in Homa Bay County was part of a broader national trajectory of inclusivity in development, regional empowerment, and strategic recognition of untapped potential.

Omollo said the presence of the President and other dignitaries was to open and accelerate Homa Bay County, attract investors, boost infrastructure development, and unlock tourism and trade potential for the future.

He said Homa Bay town, which previously had modest infrastructure, has been elevated into a national hub capable of hosting one of the country’s national public holidays.

“Homa Bay town has witnessed comprehensive infrastructural upgrades, and the plan to prepare the town for its historic role is on schedule,” he said.

Omollo said the transformation has resulted in a fully modernized Raila Odinga Stadium, upgraded road networks in the town, rehabilitation of Kabunde Airstrip, improved public facilities, and a rejuvenated waterfront.

“At the Raila Odinga Stadium, the government expanded the stadium capacity and upgraded its facilities, ensuring it meets national ceremonial standards for the event. The seating has been increased to accommodate 20,000 spectators, while the construction of terraces, roofing of pavilions, and installation of security features will ensure safety and comfort for all guests,” he said.

He said the stadium will have a media zone, emergency exits, floodlights, and modern parade grounds, making it suitable for sports tournaments, regional events, and national state functions.

Omollo said the government, in a bid to improve access to the venue and general transport in the area, is implementing upgrades of roads, with more than 35 kilometres of roads under construction or rehabilitation within the town and its outskirts.

“The roads include a 1.2km ceremonial road from the pier to the stadium, a 2km road connecting Arujo to the stadium, 10.8km of urban roads being improved, and rural link roads including Wahamba-Imbo (11km) and Ruga-Lala (12km) being murramed and upgraded to improve public access,” he said.

Omollo said at Kabunde Airstrip, which will serve as the landing point for dignitaries, various works are ongoing, including the building of a modern terminal with check-in counters, waiting lounges, secure exits, and VIP holding areas.

Omollo said the county’s Commissioner’s residence was being upgraded to host a state garden party, which includes landscaping, internal renovation, new sanitation systems, and raising of the perimeter wall.

Omollo said for the first time in history, Homa Bay will have a mini state lodge; the temporary presidential residence will house the Head of State and serve as the Presidential luncheon for the event.

“The government is rehabilitating the Homa Bay pier, once a neglected transport hub on Lake Victoria. The rehabilitation of the pier is intended to reintroduce Homa Bay as an important player in the water transport ecosystem,” he said.

But Wanga argued that through her lobbying with President Ruto, the projects should also be credited to her.

“I have been in the forefront of lobbying for these projects. Why didn’t we have these projects in the previous regime?” she said.

Ward-based development projects

Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) of Homa Bay could face voter backlash over multimillion water-based development projects.

Ahead of this year’s financial year, the MCAs stared at the reality of failure to have actualized the ward-based projects.

According to a report by the Assembly Ward Projects Committee on the status of ward projects for the FY 2024/2025, the MCAs are exposed over failure to implement the projects as was stipulated in the budget.

In the report, the Department of Roads, Public Works, Transport and Infrastructure was allocated Sh400 million for the implementation of ward projects across the county, which translated to Sh10 million per ward.

The department reported that the road inventory and condition survey exercise had been completed and the final report compiled, and that the cabinet approved all the projects, which were at the tender document preparation stage.

The committee observed that all the projects were awaiting the preparation of tender documents; therefore, there was no project status report.

In the Health Department, it was allocated Sh120 million for the implementation of ward projects across the county, with each ward having a budgetary allocation of Sh3 million.

The department reported that 33 projects had been awarded, three were not responsive, four were completed, one document was not returned, and two facilities were to be supplied with assorted medical equipment.

The committee observed that six projects were completed, 20 projects were yet to be started, 10 projects were work in progress, three projects were not responsive, and two facilities were awaiting supply and delivery of assorted medical equipment.

The Department of Youth, Sports, Gender Inclusivity, Cultural Heritage and Social Services was allocated Sh40 million for ward projects for the upgrading of 40 playfields.

The department listed 40 playgrounds to be upgraded and reported that no project had been tendered for and no work had commenced.

The committee found that there was no tendering done, and so there was no project status report from the department.

The committee’s general findings revealed late commencement of procurement processes for the implementation of most ward projects, leading to failure to actualize them.

Some projects had been completed, and others were work in progress, as was reported by the Department of Health and Medical Services. This was in tandem with Article 43 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.

There was work in progress in the implementation of ward projects by the Department of Health and Medical Services, with a considerable number of projects about to be completed.

Other departments, such as Roads, Transport, Public Works and Infrastructure, and Youth, Sports, Gender Inclusivity, Cultural Heritage and Social Services, gave no report on the status of project implementation.

This was occasioned by a sluggish procurement process, which is contrary to the dictates of Articles 56 and 174 of the Constitution of Kenya, 2010.

But Wanga said the projects had been advertised and would be rolled out.

“Upgrade is labour-based, so no advertisement is needed. It is similar to ‘Ondoa Kaunda’ we undertook for ECDE classroom constructions,” she said.

The clock is ticking fast, and with the changing alliances and demand for accountability, the battle for the gubernatorial seat in Homa Bay may be settled on the altar of development and ideology, not party affiliation.

ODM demands Sh12B owed by government as irreducible minimum before talks with UDA

By
lom robb
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

The Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) now wants the government of President William Ruto to pay the Sh12 billion debt owed to it before they can embark on pre-election coalition talks.

ODM deputy party leader Simba Arati, speaking in Mombasa during the party’s strategic meeting, said the payment of Sh12 billion in political funds owed to ODM was one of the irreducible minimum conditions before the talks.

“I want to say something here. The debts that the government owes us, kindly our brothers, pay us. We will not have any talks. The government owes ODM, and we want the government to pay us. The minimum irreducible number one item is the Cabinet Secretary for Treasury, John Mbadi, present here. Kindly pay our money first before we can engage in talks,” he said.

Recently, former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua challenged the ODM leadership to request President William Ruto to disburse the Sh12 billion political fund owed to the party by the government.

Gachagua said it was unfortunate that the leadership was driven by tokenism from the President instead of seeking the disbursement of political funds owed to them.

“Instead of going for tokens, kindly ask the President to disburse even half of the amount owed to make the party financially sound. Former party national chairman John Mbadi is the current Cabinet Secretary for Finance. Why can’t he arrange to release funds to ODM? We need a stronger party with a sound financial standing. This is what the party leadership should prioritize,” Gachagua said.

But in a quick response, ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga told Gachagua to give them a break and that they do not want his advice.

“Gachagua should give us a break. He should concentrate on his village party, DCP. He has built his politics on hate and division,” she said.

In a recent interview, the embattled party Secretary General Edwin Sifuna revealed that the funds and resources being used in the ongoing Linda Ground engagement did not come from the party.

He said the party was owed over Sh12 billion by the government for political party funds, which has negated its operations.

“The money and the resources you see being spent on the ODM rallies called Linda Ground, the monies do not come from ODM headquarters. For me, I can only account for the monies because I am a signatory to the bank accounts. Timothy Bosire is a signatory to the bank accounts. The last money we expended as ODM officially was for the celebration in Mombasa, and it was a fraction of what you saw there,” he said.

Sifuna said there was parallel funding of political activities in the party and they do not know where the funds were coming from.

“For a fact, there is parallel funding for activities clothed in ODM colors, and they go around saying they are ODM delegates. Linda Ground is not financed from the ODM coffers and headquarters. There is no money that I executed a cheque for those activities. We didn’t have any money. The third quarter remittance from the exchequer came two weeks ago, about Sh100 million, and it is a drop in the ocean compared to what exactly ODM is supposed to receive. ODM is owed a total of Sh12 billion by the Treasury, yet we are being told that my former chairperson is the Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury,” he said.

Kisumu Women Representative Ruth Odinga supported Sifuna’s concerns over the financing of ODM Linda Ground activities and wondered about the source of money flowing into the party.

“As a signatory to the ODM account, if Sifuna questioned where all the money for choppers, big tents and ODM branded t-shirts and caps in the ‘Linda Ground’ conventions were coming from, he admitted on national TV that the ODM Party has not spent any coin on the campaigns which run into millions of shillings. Those with the answers, why can’t you provide them? Are governors funding the campaigns? Are MPs doing it from the CDF kitty? Did we get a philanthropist that a Party SG is not aware of, who is funding the clearly expensive public fora? And what is in it for the ‘philanthropist’?” she questioned.

Adhiambo raised the alarm over the free-flowing money in the ODM party, which was undermining its unity and activities.

She wondered why the government was not releasing the Sh12 billion owed to the party.

“Where is the money used in flying choppers, used to procure big tents, and to mobilize and brand crowds in ODM colors, yet the same money cannot be sent to the ODM Party bank accounts? That only means one thing: control,” she said.

The Political Parties Fund is a constitutional requirement based on the strength of the political party.

“Where is the money coming from? Is it in the Budget and Appropriations Committee at the National Assembly? I know that the government has not given ODM party money. So where is all the money coming from?” she asked.

Murang’a breaks UDA’s heart, a warning sign for Ruto in Mt Kenya

By
lom robb
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

A slow Sunday. A family fun day indeed, and then out of the blue, breaking news. Not very good news for the family of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Shockingly and heartbreakingly, Murang’a Governor Irungu Kangata invited the media to publicly announce that he will not defend his gubernatorial seat on the UDA party ticket in 2027.

Murang’a, the economic heart of Mt Kenya, has not only sent a warning signal to UDA but also to President William Ruto that all is not well in the mountain, and it is only a matter of time before the exodus.

Kangata, one of the top performers, has set the precedent after he made the move. In the last general election, he garnered 256,561 votes, followed by Jamleck Kamau of Jubilee Party with 91,154 votes, out of a total registered voters of 620,929. The voter turnout was 68 percent, with President Ruto securing 343,421 votes against Azimio La Umoja presidential candidate, the late Raila Amolo Odinga’s 73,519 votes.

Exit UDA for a new political vehicle

Kangata, quoting President Ruto that the people are supreme, said it was incumbent upon him to adhere to what the people have told him.

“President Ruto has always told us that the people are supreme, and thank you for that statement. Therefore, my responsibility is to adhere to what the people have told me. And in light of that, and because I have tried my best to have these issues resolved internally, I have had a candid discussion with the President one on one, where we shared these ideas, but we did not reach what we call full convergence,” he said.

Kangata said he had conclusively decided to defend his seat on a different platform and not UDA.

“I have no doubt to say that after careful reflection, I wish to state that come 2027, I will not defend my seat on the current party ticket. I will later, at a certain stage, communicate the platform on which I will present myself to the electorates,” he said.

The Governor said for the moment he will cooperate with the national government and the UDA party to deliver services to his people.

“However, until then, I will remain a disciplined and committed member of the UDA party. I will continue to serve diligently in my capacity and cooperate with the national government in delivering services to our people,” he said.

Kangata said he will remain loyal to the President until the end of the term and that there was no conflict between his political ambition and that of Ruto.

“I will remain loyal to the President and to the party through the remainder of this term. I do not intend to vie to become the President of Kenya, neither do I want to become the Deputy President of this country. Therefore, my interest and his interest do not conflict, strictly speaking,” he said.

The Governor said for some time he has been put under a lot of pressure to endorse the President and his programmes and found it right to state his political stand.

“My aim is only to defend the Murang’a seat, but I felt this was important for me to say because I have seen for the last few days the President has been in Murang’a, and every time I go there, I am being pressurized to endorse the programmes and to endorse him,” he said.

He took issue with some of the leaders from the region for doubting his health status and felt offended by their views.

“Even the pressure has come publicly, even from my friend Kimani Ichung’wah, the Leader of Majority in the National Assembly. They have even suggested that I am not sick, which I felt was not fair because truly, it is true I have a problem. I felt that is too much,” he said.

The Governor said it was important to set the record clear ahead of 2027 to avoid being negatively tagged.

“They have even reached a certain stage that I thought, if I don’t do this, people will start saying I am a cunning politician. So I said let me talk the truth, my view on the party and on 2027. Today, I have decided to set the record straight and to express myself that I have done my best. I have given my ideas which the party thought otherwise. I have to say the truth,” he said.

Ichung’wah hits back at Kangata, calls him a hypocrite

But Ichung’wah denied the allegations, saying he only called out hypocrisy in the Governor.

“My friend Kang’ata, Governor Murang’a. What is it I am hearing that you claim I have been pressuring you? I said what I said to you at Kenneth Matiba Hospital in public. Not to exert pressure, but to call out the hypocrisy I saw in your engagements. We know each other well,” he wrote on his social media platforms.

He said Kangata placed pressure on him during the impeachment of Gachagua so that he could be named Deputy President.

“Remember our Lavington meeting at the time of impeachment? That is what would constitute exerting pressure. The kind of pressure you were exerting to be named Deputy President. I gave you my piece of mind on your candidature and the politics of hypocrisy that I read in your quest. I am still of the same view today as I shared with you. Desist from name-dropping my name to please Gachagua and drop your competitors. Pay the ransoms he demands if you desire to be his candidate. My brother, do you really want me to disclose to the people of Murang’a full details of our Lavington meeting? Including what you did with Murang’a resources? It is NOT in your interest. Fight your battles and keep off name-dropping to advance your hypocritical politics of deceit. I have chosen this public response since you chose to use that same route. Let me know if you desire a full disclosure of what I know and you know I know,” he wrote.

Mt Kenya exodus

The recent political handshake between former President Uhuru Kenyatta and former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua seems to have changed the political terrain in Mt Kenya for President Ruto and his UDA.

The region is opening up to Uhuru’s Jubilee and Gachagua’s DCP, while UDA is being relegated to the periphery.

In the 2022 general elections, UDA lawmakers from Mt Kenya and its diaspora included: Kiambu County’s Kimani Ichung’wah (Kikuyu), Alice Wahome (Kandara), Githua Wamacukuru (Kabete), Njuguna Wanjiku (Kiambaa), George Koimburi (Juja), James Gakuya (Embakasi North – diaspora); Murang’a County’s Ndindi Nyoro (Kiharu), Edward Muriu (Gatanga), Mary Wamaua (Maragua), Betty Maina (Murang’a CWR); Nyeri County’s Rigathi Gachagua (Mathira – later Deputy President), Michael Muchira (Tetu), Njoroge Wainaina (Kieni); Kirinyaga County’s George Kariuki (Ndia), Mary Maingi (Mwea); and others including John Kaguchia (Mukurweini), Patrick Munene (Chuka/Igambang’ombe), and Rahab Mukami (Nyeri CWR).

Most of these legislators have moved to DCP, while others could be seeking new vehicles from which to defend their seats.

The announcement by Kangata may open the floodgates for an exodus from UDA to other political platforms in Mt Kenya and could be a pointer that the region’s political allegiance has shifted elsewhere.

Pitting a brother against a brother, a Luo tragedy

By
lom robb
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

Tragic. The Luo community is fast falling into a trap which pits brother against brother. Soon it will be a bloodbath in the region.

The politicians are already dancing on the graves of the vulnerable, hungry and deprived youths whom they have turned into political goons for deployment.

Kisumu is now the tower of goons. On Saturday, at the burial of Mzee Nyikal Okaka, father to Seme MP James Nyikal, it was a show of goon might and a tip of the iceberg of the looming cancer in the community – the goon world and anarchy.

Siaya Governor James Orengo had to be escorted out of the funeral after youths chanting “two terms” moved closer to him, creating a security scare.

The chaos briefly disrupted the funeral programme and forced the security officers to escort Orengo out of the venue to a safer exit.

Nyikal, the bereaved, lamented that the goons nearly killed his son at his father’s burial and was forced to ask Kisumu Senator Prof Tom Ojienda to go out and calm his goons.

“They nearly killed my son. I walked there to Senator Ojienda and asked him, ‘These people came with you. Can you tell them to stop?’ Senator, were you able to stop them?” he asked.

Nyikal said popularity is like love and cannot be bought with money, and wondered why fellow politicians walk to funerals in the company of goons.

“Let us be truly popular. Let us be able to walk to a funeral alone. I think popularity is like love. You cannot buy it with money. You may get it with money, but it will be lust,” he said.

Kisumu Women Representative Ruth Odinga said the intolerance – that Orengo was shouted at and had to be removed from the funeral – was unacceptable.

“What is this intolerance, that Orengo is shouted at and escorted out because he has a divergent view from those sitting there? What is the bigger picture?” she said.

Odinga wondered why the community was being divided and made to fight one another.

“As the Luo, why does it take another Luo leader to sponsor youths to remove another leader from a function?” she quipped.

Orengo, in a post on social media platforms, wrote: “Contrary to the misreporting by Citizen TV, we did not leave the venue because we were ‘chased.’ We departed because the presiding Bishop and Seme MP James Nyikal had already left to proceed with the burial of his father. Our sole purpose for attending was to offer our condolences and stand in solidarity with the family.”

Orengo said Linda Mwananchi remained unbowed by the political theatrics of the opponents.

“Remaining unbowed, we left the service and arrived safely at the airport to return to Nairobi. This travel is in preparation for the EALASCA Festival, which is scheduled to kick off in Mombasa on Monday, May 4th, 2026. I am proud to confirm that Siaya County will be participating in the upcoming events, and I will be joining them as the Patron of KICOSCA. The people of Kisumu are WANTAM, a spirit of hospitality and excellence that was clearly on display throughout the past weekend,” he wrote.

Ahead of last weekend’s Linda Mwananchi rally in Kisumu, threats of political violence were prominent, with Linda Ground lieutenants led by Alego MP Sam Atandi saying the group was not allowed in Kisumu.

Atandi wrote on his X handle: “No imposter will be allowed into Kisumu. Kisumu city must remain a peaceful city.”

He said Linda Mwananchi were not accepted in Kisumu and would not hold any rally in the lake city.

“I am telling you, they will not be accepted in Kisumu. There will be no rally in Kisumu,” he said.

But Embakasi East MP Babu Owino dismissed Atandi as a stranger in Kisumu politics who can only control village Siaya politics.

“Mweshimiwa Sam Atandi, you want to plan for Kisumu people. We know the people you are trying to use. Atandi, don’t bring trouble to Kisumu. You failed miserably,” he said.

The boda boda operators have been looped into the battle after the government operatives successfully brought them into their fold.

Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr. Raymond Omollo, in a move meant to woo them into the fold, directed the immediate release of all boda boda motorcycles impounded over petty offences, saying the move is meant to restore livelihoods for operators across the Nyanza region.

Omollo, who had a forum with boda boda leaders from Kisumu County’s seven constituencies, said the directive stems from President William Ruto and is already being implemented by the Nyanza Regional Police Commander.

“All motorbikes held on account of petty offences will be released. This directive is being effected to ease the burden on operators and restore their means of livelihood,” said Omollo.

The chairman of the Kisumu Boda Boda Association, Jacob Ochieng Ogango, ahead of the rally visited the Linda Mwananchi venue at Kowuor Ground and declared they do not want political violence in Kisumu.

“We are here at Kowuor Ground, and we fear there may be chaos. The one-term crusaders are known for evoking violence. We are in broad-based government and fully support President William Ruto. Kisumu is a no-go zone for one-term. We will not allow James Orengo and Babu Owino to hold a rally in Kisumu. One-term is not allowed in Kisumu. Kisumu is ODM, Kisumu is Ruto and Dr Oburu Oginga,” he said.

But the boda boda failed to stop the rally, and some of them are counting losses after their motorcycles were burnt.

Anglican Bishop Charles Onginjo warned the leaders against turning the community into a battleground and urged them to allow dissenting voices.

Bishop Onginjo says Luos are not robots for political gains, vote out non-performers

By
lom robb
-
0

By Sandra Blessing

In Seme, at a burial, Anglican Bishop Charles Onginjo set the tone for the Luo community, asking them to vote out non-performers to stop the developing culture of begging and handouts from politicians.

The Prelate expressed satisfaction with the youth who informed him that they will vote out elected leaders in the 2027 general elections over non-performance.

“After every five years, we go into elections. Those who have not worked, ensure you vote them out. We must reboot and have a new start as a community,” he said.

Rev Onginjo at the same time said the Luos are not robots to be used at the whims of politicians for their own selfish gains instead of for the greater benefit of the community.

“You have the right to make a choice. Let us not be used as robots. As a community, we must stop being used at the whims of the political class. We must ask the hard questions,” he said.

The Prelate said the politicians have been encouraging the culture of handouts in the community and taking advantage of the poverty among the youths.

He said the politicians have formed a bad habit of transforming the youths into political goons by exploiting their economic constraints for their own good.

“You are reducing our people to dogs and beggars. Stop cheating our people and riding on the ignorance of the people. It’s a very unfortunate culture we are developing,” he said.

Rev Onginjo challenged the politicians to develop the culture of truth and honesty to avoid sinking the community into beggars.

“If you walk around with goons, thinking you are popular, then you are cheated. That doesn’t make you popular. Empower the youths and make them economically independent,” he said.

The Bishop said he was not bothered by the current conversation over one term or two terms but wants the community to critically engage in the conversation.

He said dissenting voices should not be misconstrued but should be allowed to enable the community to successfully navigate through the engagement.

“We must reclaim the lost glory of our community. We used to ask tough questions as a community, and now I don’t understand why we want to just follow people,” he said.

The African University to admit students in May this year

By
lom robb
-
0

By Sandra Blessing

After securing the Letter of Interim Authority (LIA) last month, the African Talent University (TATU) will start admitting students this month of May 2026.

The authority from the Commission for University Education (CUE) now mandates the institution to undertake its core academic agenda.

Last month, Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Migot Ogamba presided over the award, which brought the number of registered universities in the country to 85.

Head of the institution, Prof. Humphrey Oborah, said they have dispatched letters to the Higher Education Loans Board and the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS) to enable students to benefit from government facilities.

He said the registration of the university will help address some of the gaps in the education sector.

“I am grateful for the registration. This is not a burden but a responsibility to bring something back home. It is a vote of confidence,” he said.

TATU is Kisumu-based and is the only fully talent-based higher learning institution in the country.

The university offers non-traditional education and focuses on producing skilled professionals who are not traditionally academically endowed.

Dr Ogamba said the registration of the university marked a step towards building a university education system that works for every young Kenyan.

“The grant of the Letter of Interim Authority reflects our commitment to expanding education opportunities, nurturing talents in all their forms, and keeping university education aligned with the realities of our times,” he said.

The CS said the registration of the university was testimony that the government was responding to a growing demand for university education in the country.

“Each year, over 900,000 candidates sit the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examination, with only 28 percent transitioning to university, which can fully nurture diverse talents,” he said.

He said with the steady expansion, there is a shift from old tradition to a system that reflects skills, innovations, and flexibility, and to become a hub for creativity, digital transformation, research, and enterprise.

For the last two decades, Prof Oborah has battled to have the dream become a reality, and yesterday marked a new chapter in his life.

“We intend to establish a model that teaches learners through natural ability, creativity, and practical skill rather than examinations alone,” he said.

Conservative Nyanza opens door to suitors: Wanjigi setting the pace in the scramble

By
lom robb
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

The once politically conservatory Nyanza, a preserve for the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) for decades, is currently opening its door to suitors.

The bride is now inviting potential grooms to battle it out for her hand, and in earnest, attention is turning to Nyanza.

The scramble for the 2.1 million votes, according to the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission 2022 data, has begun in earnest, with the party leader of Safina, Jimmy Wanjigi, opening party offices in three counties – namely Kisumu, Siaya and Homa Bay – within a month.

Previously, the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) of President William Ruto, through the broad-based arrangement with ODM, had encroached into the region and opened offices in all the counties.

And with the demise of ODM founder, Raila Amolo Odinga, and the declaration by the Linda Ground faction of Dr Oburu Oginga that they will not have a presidential candidate, the scramble is in the offing.

“Today, we opened our doors in Homa Bay. We have come home to a community that has long understood what it means to be overlooked and underserved,” he said.

Wanjigi said Safina was built on one foundational conviction which was in sync with the people of Nyanza and other Kenyans.

“Kenyans must be liberated economically. Not just politically free, but free from debt that does not serve them, free from a system that taxes the poor to protect the wealthy, free from a government that hoards billions while its people go without healthcare and education. The people of Homa Bay understand this reality as intimately as any community in this country. That is precisely why we are here,” he said.

Wanjigi was in Homa Bay on Friday, where he planted the seed of Safina in hope of scrambling and walking away with not only presidential votes but also elective posts in the 2027 elections.

In Siaya, Wanjigi said the region’s leadership should stop compromising the rights and lives of the residents for selfish gain.

“Leaders in this region must stop compromising the rights and lives of their people for selfish gain. You cannot align with a government that continues to burden citizens, borrow endlessly, and preside over suffering, then claim to represent the people,” he said.

He warned against what he described as attempts to infiltrate and weaken the region’s political foundation.

“We will not allow this government to force itself onto the political foundation built by our father, Hon. Raila Odinga, and dismantle it for selfish gain. The people of this region must remain vigilant. Your leaders are failing you,” he said.

Secretary General Joakim Simiyu struck a defiant and rallying tone, expressing confidence that the current government will not survive the next electoral cycle.

“This government will not see another day in office after the next General Election. The people are awake. Enough is enough. Siaya, the time is now, not tomorrow, not next year. Join Safina. Take back what is yours,” he said.

Simiyu said the Siaya office will serve as a hub for grassroots mobilization, civic engagement, and policy dialogue as Safina Party accelerates its nationwide expansion.

Deputy party leader Willis Otieno said they were coming strong to Nyanza with one clear agenda: economic liberation, and that the people of Siaya must be part of this journey.

“As we begin our regional integration across Nyanza, our focus is to engage, to educate, and to build a movement grounded in the real issues affecting our people, especially the economy,” he said.

The entry of Safina, UDA, and now the Linda Mwananchi faction of ODM led by James Orengo, Edwin Sifuna and Babu Owino is likely to open the region for grabs.

UDA recently conducted its grassroots elections in Kisumu and Siaya counties, and President Ruto has been making inroads in the region.

The jittery and wobbling wing of Linda Ground, led by Dr Oburu Oginga, is slowly grinding to a halt and can no longer catch up with the new players sharpening their knives for a slice of meat.

This explains the craving for zoning by Linda Ground – their demand for zoning in the pre-election coalition pact with UDA and listing it as one of their irreducible minimums in the arrangement.

ODM National Chairperson Gladys Wanga declared that Homa Bay and the broader Nyanza region are ODM zones and will not tolerate opposition, specifically warning against UDA infiltration.

Wanga insisted that any coalition agreement with UDA must include a clear zoning formula that guarantees ODM a fair and respectable number of seats in regions where it has strong support.

“ODM will not be a ‘junior affiliate’ to UDA, and we expect a 50-50 power-sharing structure where ODM controls its traditional strongholds,” she insisted.

Kaluma said: “I want to tell our friends in UDA, if you think you can have members here in Homa Bay, it will take away votes from the President. In fact, if you want to destroy our relationship, try fronting anyone other than ODM here in Homa Bay.”

With Nyanza opening its doors, all roads will now turn to the region ahead of the 2027 election, and this will put the UDA-ODM coalition pact to the test.

Stop witch hunt: KRA Commissioner General is not a preserve for a particular community

By
lom robb
-
0

By Prof Okoth Ongore

This is what I have been complaining about all these years. Some communities think that they have a birthright to certain high-ranking positions in this republic.

Now, the position of KRA Commissioner General is open, and ethnic daggers are already drawn.

Like all of us, George is not an angel. But these accusations are pure exaggerations and utterly malicious. What would someone worth Ksh 30 billion be doing in an office, as an employee?

The matter has been investigated before when he was about to be promoted to Commissioner, and it was established that the properties (including Ciala Resort in Kisumu) were owned by an investment group comprising more than 100 members.

The case was dismissed as malicious, and George was cleared to be interviewed. He easily got the position.

The figures are exaggerated multiple times to portray George as unfit to hold public office. For example, Ciala Resort is worth less than Ksh 1 billion, not the Ksh 16 billion in the documents.

These conspirators simply went online to pick on any enterprise, both local and international, bearing the name “Ciala”, and lumped them together with Ciala Resort. They didn’t even care to verify if they had any link at all. That many of the properties included in the case bear similar names but do not belong to the investment group is a sign of desperation by individuals who cannot withstand fair competition and are trying to clutch onto any semblance of evidence. Why is the case coming up again now?

The position of Commissioner General (CG) is open after Humphrey Wattanga was nominated for a diplomatic posting.

Of all the potential contenders to the CG’s office, George Obell is perhaps the most qualified and experienced. Look at some of his qualifications: BSc (Accounting); MBA (Finance); LLB; CPA(K); CPS(K); Tax Assessor (Class of 2003); 32 years’ experience.

George has represented Kenya at the UN and OECD for several years and helped craft protocols on transfer pricing, illicit financial flows, and information exchange on activities of multinational enterprises in Africa.

For many years, as head of KRA’s Large Taxpayers Office, he was responsible for overseeing the development of transfer pricing rules and international taxation approaches for Africa.

The gentleman knows his stuff and is hugely open-minded. George is a gem that this country needs and deserves at this critical juncture when the National Treasury is grappling with fiscal consolidation.

I bounce my ideas off him often, and the guy is on top of his game. He currently serves as Commissioner of Domestic Taxes (MST).

Some Johnny-come-latelies into tax administration, who were brought into KRA by godfathers and godmothers without the requisite training, competencies and comportment – and they are very well known – are really worried that if George Obell appears for the interview for the CG position, they don’t stand a chance at all.

That is why they are trying to revive a case that was recently investigated by relevant investigative bodies and cleared as malicious.

They want the CG position through hook or crook. I know what I am talking about. The incompetent tax administration neophytes behind this scheme are well known to us.

Some are still inside while others have recently been redeployed or removed from KRA. They are planning a comeback through malicious character assassination. Take it from me: these goons will fail miserably.

It must be known that the position of CG of KRA is open to all qualified Kenyans, not just people from a particular region.

This conspiracy of evil must stop before we expose the conspirators. Kenya must not sacrifice its gems at the altar of ethnic manipulation. George is a pure, unadulterated gem of tax administration.

The country is much better off with him applying his great insights to streamline tax administration. In any case, records confirm his excellent work ethic, performance and innovativeness in all previous assignments. We are watching the detractors very closely. They will fail.

This primitive habit of ethnic exclusion must stop once and for all.

Copyright © Vincent Ongore 2026

The Finance Bill 2026 Has Moved to Your Pocket

By
lom robb
-
0

By Billy Mijungu

There was a time when taxation in Kenya was something distant, something negotiated in boardrooms and felt mostly by big corporations and high-income earners. That time is gone. The Finance Bill, 2026, quietly redraws the battlefield. The taxman is no longer waiting for profits or income declarations. He has moved closer – into your phone, your transactions, your daily life.

This is not an ordinary Finance Bill. It is a philosophical shift.

The government has made a calculated decision: if it cannot reliably tax income, it will tax behaviour. Every swipe, every call, every bet, every import, every digital interaction is now a potential tax point. This is not accidental. It is deliberate, structured, and far-reaching.

Take mobile phones. By imposing a 25% excise duty triggered at activation, the State has effectively turned every Kenyan into a taxpayer the moment they switch on a device. The phone is no longer just a communication tool; it is now a tax collection point. In a country where mobile connectivity is no longer a luxury but a necessity, this is not just policy – it is penetration.

Then comes the digital economy. Payment systems, card transactions, fintech platforms – all are now captured under an expanded definition of taxable royalties. The message is simple: the government is following the money, and the money has gone digital. What used to be invisible streams of micro-transactions are now visible, measurable, and taxable.

The informal sector, long accused of escaping the tax net, has not been spared. Scrap metal dealers will now face withholding taxes. Mitumba traders will pay upfront taxes based on assumed profits before their goods even reach the market. This is not just taxation; it is pre-emptive extraction. The State is no longer waiting to see if you make money; it assumes that you will.

And then there is betting. A 20% tax on winnings signals a moral and fiscal stance rolled into one. The government is taxing hope itself – the small, risky optimism that drives millions into betting platforms. Whether this curbs the vice or simply deepens desperation is a question policymakers seem willing to postpone.

Imports, too, have become a goldmine. By stripping away exemptions and expanding excise coverage, the State has fortified its grip at the border. It is easier to tax goods at entry than to chase individuals across a fragmented economy. This is efficiency, yes, but it is also a quiet admission that internal tax systems are struggling to keep up.

Perhaps the most powerful shift, however, is not in new taxes but in enforcement. Pre-populated tax returns, tighter electronic systems, and aggressive anti-avoidance rules mean that compliance is no longer optional or negotiable. The era of “we will see” has been replaced by “we already know.”

What does all this mean?

It means the burden of taxation is no longer concentrated at the top. It is dispersed across society, embedded in consumption, and collected in fragments. You may not feel it in one large deduction, but you will feel it in everything – the cost of a phone, a transaction fee, a second-hand shirt, a small wager.

This is the politics of quiet extraction.

The government will argue that this is modernization, that it is aligning taxation with a changing economy. And to some extent, that is true. But modernization without balance risks becoming overreach. When taxation begins to shadow every aspect of daily life, the line between revenue generation and economic suffocation becomes dangerously thin.

The real question is not whether the government will collect more revenue. It will. The question is at what cost – to economic activity, to informal enterprise, to the already strained Kenyan household.

Because when the taxman moves this close, he does not just collect revenue. He reshapes behaviour, alters incentives, and sometimes stifles the very growth he seeks to fund.

Kenya is not just being taxed more. It is being taxed differently.

And that difference will define the economy and the politics for years to come.

July 1980: Nyong’o’s darkest month with a silver lining

By
lom robb
-
0

By Anderson Ojwang

A cocktail and mixed grill of events and moments. Traumatizing and at the same time fulfilling. Bittersweet. The month of July 1980 will remain etched in the heart of Kisumu Governor Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o.

Nyong’o passionately talks about the events as if they happened yesterday and sublimely transports the audience into a double attack of tears and laughter at the same time as he humorously engages.

Nyong’o, the lyrical gangster, poet, writer, producer and political philosopher, has seen it all in the troubled Kenyan political waters and the halls of academia.

If anything, the month of July 1980 could have destroyed Nyong’o and wiped out his dreams, but the spirit of Never Die stood out, and the son of Cardinal walked out unscathed.

In that month, Nyong’o persevered frequent arrest and detention, the mysterious death of his brother, alcohol poisoning at a bar in Mombasa, and finally the birth of his first child.

From the lecture halls

In 1977, as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta was in power, and there were concerns over the detentions of lecturers and other Kenyans.

“Kenyatta was in power. He had detained Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o among others. We said this man cannot be a good president. We must organize from the university and see how we can have a democratic system in this country,” he said.

Nyong’o said from his lectures he started telling the students the history of all existing societies and borrowed heavily from Karl Marx.

“The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggle. Have you ever heard that sentence from Karl Marx? In the Communist Manifesto, the history of all hitherto existing society is about the oppressors and the oppressed. Landowners and landless. The powerful and the powerless,” he said.

Nyong’o said they agreed that the powerless had to organize to change the government of the country, and that is where his problems began.

The cartons of books

Nyong’o said his first mistake was when he went to the Soviet Embassy to pick up books from Progress Publishers.

“A few days later, the Special Branch came to my house, ‘Bring the books.’ They took nine cartons of books, went and locked me up at the police station near Kenyatta National Hospital, and I was detained for three days under interrogation while they went through the books,” he said.

Nyong’o said one of the books was very interesting, by Edgar Snow, called Red Star Over China, which was a very harmless book.

“But they saw ‘Red Star Over China.’ ‘You are a communist.’ After three days, fortunately, they let me go, saying, ‘Go back to the university and don’t teach these things again.'”

The burning flame

Nyong’o said he disobeyed the order by the Special Branch about teaching Karl Marx and other progressive scholars.

“I became worse. I told the students all that had happened. Another one month, I was locked in again. This was in 1977,” he said.

Nyong’o said they celebrated the death of Kenyatta in 1978 and the incoming of President Daniel Moi, hoping he would be a better leader.

“We celebrated: ‘This Moi is going to be a better president.’ Little did we know that we were going from the frying pan into the fire. Within one year, Moi was locking up our lecturers,” he said.

The protest against the British

Nyong’o said in July 1980, they organized a peaceful and successful demonstration against the British sale of arms to South Africa and to protest the murder of the Guyanese intellectual Walter Rodney.

“The demonstration was peaceful. No stone was thrown. This annoyed the government immensely. So when we went back to the university, it was on Thursday. On Friday, there was a glowing editorial in the Nation: ‘The university has come of age. We thank the lecturers who organized this.’ We were very happy,” he said.

The journalist’s call

Nyong’o said on Saturday, while he was working in his office, he received a telephone call from a journalist, Peter Kareithi of the then Nairobi Times.

“He calls me and says, ‘Prof, we have been told you people are organizing a coup against the government.’ I asked him, ‘Where? We are not.’ But he alleged, ‘It is said you people are planning to overthrow the government.’ I told him, ‘Well, if there is such a plan, I do not know about it,'” he said.

Nyong’o said the next day, a huge headline in the Nairobi Times read: “Lecturer Denies Plot Charge.”

“My wife read that and said, ‘Oh no, we are finished.’ On Monday morning, I saw four long blue Peugeot cars, which belonged to the Special Branch. They came into the house, collected another lot of books, took me to the CID headquarters, and detained me for four days, being interrogated on a daily basis,” he said.

But his salvation came through the students, who went on strike, and so he was eventually released.

Nyong’o said he went back to the university, and the students resumed classes.

He said the journalist was called by the DCI over his story, and he further implicated him.

“I was re-arrested, back to the same place. Again the students went back on strike. There was a dilemma: ‘Do we keep this man here or release him?’ I was released very early in the morning and told, ‘Go straight to your class.’ I went straight to the class, taught for an hour, and left for the office,” he said.

The mysterious death

He said after his lecture, on his way out, he found his sister Susan waiting for him outside the Gandhi Hall. She was crying and demanded they go home.

“When we reached home, she told me, ‘My brother Charles, who looked just like me, 10 years younger than me, had been killed in Mombasa.’ I asked, ‘How?’ But she responded saying he was on a ferry and jumped off the ferry, which was not true,” he said.

Nyong’o said he dropped all the politics and drove to Mombasa to look for his younger brother.

“For three good weeks, with the support of the Port Police, we looked for bodies around Mombasa. Whenever anybody surfaced, I would go and look, and it was not him,” he said.

Nyong’o said the family enlisted the services of the British Marine Corps to comb the place.

“They told us, according to the science of this place, ‘If your brother died on the said day, he should have reappeared by now. In this place there are no sharks, and there is no way he could have been eaten. The story doesn’t look true,'” he said.

The alcohol poisoning

Tired and stressed by the search, Nyong’o decided to pass by a nearby joint for a cold beer.

“One evening, I was sitting at one of the hotels in Mombasa, having my white cup beer over the counter. I was depressed. So I had a car of my host outside. So at one point, I decided to go to the loo. As you know when you are drinking beer, safari is part of the adventure,” he said.

But depressed, Nyong’o made one fatal mistake that nearly cost him his life and regrets it to date.

“But the mistake I had done: I left my mug of beer on the counter. When I returned, I took three sips and started vomiting. Which means it had been poisoned. I ran to the car, drove home, and I was in bad shape,” he said.

But the host, whose wife was a nurse, saw Nyong’o in a bad shape and administered first aid.

“They administered first aid, took me to the bed. I was sweating. She gave me drugs and called a doctor for me. By the time I woke up, it was past midnight. They told me what they had done,” he said.

Nyong’o said the following day, the host put him on the first flight to Nairobi, saying they did not want to lose him too.

The pregnancy

Nyong’o said in the month of July 1980, his wife Dorothy Nyong’o was pregnant with their first child and welcomed a bubbling baby girl.

“With the birth of our daughter, every night I would get prank calls. It was very unstable to have a young family with these kinds of problems,” he said.

123...172Page 2 of 172