By Anderson Ojwang’

A story of faith, self-belief, and sacrifice. In the footsteps of the founder, the former Permanent Secretary for Provincial Administration, the late Hezekiah Oyugi Ogango, Oyugi Ogango Girls in Migori County has never disappointed.

The founder is credited with making huge transformations and uplifting the community in all spheres to national limelight, and that is why he stands out and is still recognised for his contribution to education, socio-economic, and political growth in the region.

The making of the giant

In secondary school games, netball has been perceived as the game without giants. But Oyugi Ogango has defied the odds to create netball giants.

2007 was the last time the school reached the regional competition and was knocked out. For 14 years, the school watched as others triumphed and rejoiced in glory.

But in 2021, when the country was reeling from the effects of the Corona pandemic, the school was waking up from the ashes. A new journey and a rebirth. The leadership changes by the Ministry of Education ushered in a new dispensation at the school.

The arrival of Chief Principal Rose Adhanja in 2022 radically reset the factory setting. In 2023, the once passive observers nearly caused a scare at the Nyanza Secondary School games when they nearly lost to Nyakach and Kobala Girls.

The statement of intent was declared, and the eyes were not only set on the regional but also the national trophy.

Coach Titus Okello said the arrival of the principal, who is also a former netballer and the head of the technical bench, was the rebirth the team needed.

“In her first year, we lost at the regionals. We went back to the drawing board, and it was time to make a mark. We resolved to succeed at the national level,” he said.

When fasting brought the glory

For teacher Celestine Obuya, in charge of boarding and spirituality, the journey to the trophy-laden success didn’t come from a silver platter but from hard work and commitment.

“Ahead of the games, we go into fasting at the school chapel, and our commitment to prayers has seen us through and brought glory,” she said.

She said the school has ensured the right diet and nutrition for the team, and this has enabled them to grind out results.

The champions

New kids on the block were born, and in 2023, the dream was actualised. There was no stopping henceforth. The taste of glory was the sweetest moment.

The urge for more silverware became a reality, and nothing was going to stop Oyugi Ogango Girls from walking that path.

“The taste of success was so inspiring and sweet that we resolved to make history. We wanted to be in the annals of Kenya Secondary Schools games history,” Obuya said.

Three titles and trophy for keeps

The beginning was in 2023, when the school won the nationals. That history resorted to changing the trend in netball.

Previously, no single team had won the netball competition in a row. The title kept changing hands from one team to another.

But that was not to be the case with the mighty Oyugi Ogango Girls. The history makers.

When the trophy arrived in Rakwaro, the home of the legend, just some 2 kilometres from the former provincial administrator’s home, it found peace and glory.

“The trophy found a haven and comfort. No more tossing from one region to another. No shorter visitation. We have built a home, and now because we have won it three times consecutively, it stays here permanently. What an achievement and history,” said Derick Wariadho, a coach.

He said in netball, it is not easy for a team to beat an opponent twice in a row, but for Oyugi Ogango, that is a norm and a milestone.

Story behind the success

The journey to success is torturous, tiring, and dispiriting at times, but success is sweet and has many friends.

The story behind the success is hinged on various factors: hard work, passion, commitment, discipline, and dedication.

Without the above pillars, success would be elusive, and that is how the principal modelled her team to victory.

“When the top espouses the above tenets, success will easily come home. That is why we have been able to make it as national champions and show good encounters of ourselves at the East African Sports,” said coach Dolphin Oyugi.

She said the technical bench and the girls are so passionate, dedicated, disciplined, and committed to the deliverables.

The principal gave more time for training and opportunities to blend.

Inspiration

Currently, the team is inspired to win the East Africa trophy and has been training for the event.

They are optimistic about retaining the nationals but have their eyes on the East Africa games.

“We are inspired to face off against the four Ugandan teams. They have dominated the game, and it is time we changed the story. We cannot accept allowing the comfort the Ugandan teams have enjoyed for decades to continue,” Okello said.

But Oyugi Ogango has been making steady progress in rewriting the story of Ugandan teams and last year only lost by a margin of 5.

“We have our eyes on the final and the cup. St Mary Kitende from 2023 have been winning, and in 2023 they beat us by 23 scores, in 2024 by 12, and last year by a margin of 5. If you look at the deviation, it tells a positive story,” he said.

Camp and talent nurturing

The school is focused on talent development and often invites prospects to a camp where the successful ones are integrated into the school team.

“During the holidays, we invite those who wish to join us from Grade 10 and Form Three. Those who come for training, we retain those who have qualified,” he said.

Competitors

The main challengers to Oyugi Ogango Girls in the Nyanza region include Asumbi Girls, Nyakach, Kobala, Lambwe, Kandaria, and Nyabera.

At the national level include Bumala, Bukholo from Bungoma, St Joseph Kitale, Anderseen, Kinale from Central Kenya, and Kaya Tiwi.

The deliverer

The principal is a believer in holistic education, and that is why she complements academics with sports.

She believes academics and sports go together in creating a complete and unique human resource for the country.

That is why Oyugi Ogango Girls is currently synonymous with netball in the country.

Through her efforts, some of the players have been invited for trials with the national team under 18 in previous years.

In her office, trophies and awards do the speaking and are a sign of delivery.

By Ashwani Kaushik

A World Yoga Day Precursor on Sustaining Global Safety, Honoring the Adi Shakti, and Clarifying the Distinction Between Divine Legacy and Family Lines

As World Yoga Day approaches, humanity stands at a critical spiritual crossroads. While the world celebrates yoga primarily as a system of physical postures and stress relief, the time has come to recognize its ultimate, supreme evolution.

Sahaj Yoga. Founded by Her Holiness Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, Sahaj Yoga is not an exercise philosophy; it is the definitive Maha Yoga (the Great Yoga) of modern times.

It represents a monumental, unprecedented leap in human evolution by achieving what no other spiritual incarnation, prophet, or avatar in human history has ever accomplished: mass, spontaneous Kundalini awakening.

The transformative power of this supreme yoga is deeply tangible, profound, and intensely emotional. In an era where modern medicine often manages superficial symptoms rather than curing root causes, Sahaj Yoga achieves genuine, miraculous inner restoration.

Consider a profound reality intimately known to me a sahaj yogi suffering from severe, debilitating psychiatric illness alongside painful, epilepsy-like disorders.

This individual underwent the harrowing trauma of sixteen Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) sessions within a single month—a devastating toll that pushed the human nervous system to its absolute limits.

Yet, where conventional interventions reached a dead end, the divine mechanism of Sahaj Yoga triggered a complete turnaround. Today, this person is doing fine, practicing Sahaj Yoga, and living in complete stability, vibrant health, and profound peace.

By cleansing the subtle energy centers (chakras) and directly stabilizing the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, this divine science proves itself not just as a theory, but as a supreme therapeutic and evolutionary force.

A Global Appeal for World Heritage Recognition

Because it is the ultimate living spiritual heritage of mankind, Sahaj Yoga deserves formal, high-level global recognition.

Its unprecedented contribution to human well-being, global peace, and spiritual ascension qualifies it perfectly to be recognized by world heritage bodies. We explicitly call upon international organizations, including UNESCO to formally register and protect Sahaj Yoga as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity

Furthermore, we urge world heritage councils to recognize the holy sites, ashrams, and international centers established by Shri Mataji as sacred monuments of global spiritual history. This official global designation is not for status, but for structural preservation—ensuring that this profound, living science is shielded by international protocols and preserved for generations to come.

However, for an international legacy of this magnitude to be preserved for thousands of years, the global Sahaj Yoga collective cannot rely on external recognition alone.

We must urgently transition from loose, vulnerable administrative setups to an ironclad framework of unyielding institutional law.

The Urgent Need for Stronger Internal Laws

First, there is a dire need for stronger, standardized trust laws worldwide. The basic principles taught by Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi must be codified into absolute, non-negotiable legal frameworks.

These laws must ensure that no divergent views, personal interpretations, or ego-driven distortions can ever dilute the original teachings. The rules must be structurally rigid enough to guarantee that Sahaj Yoga can never be divided, fragmented, or split into competing regional factions.

The administrative machinery must exist solely as an impenetrable shell, protecting the absolute purity of the spiritual mechanics.

Second, we must legally secure the absolute safety of the properties and ashrams where Shri Mataji physically visited, worked, and resided.

These holy sites of Sahaj Yoga are not mere real estate; they are highly vibrant, spiritually charged epicenters of divine energy where the Adi Shakti poured out Her love. If trust rules are weak, these sacred lands risk being compromised by local disputes, financial mismanagement, or secular inheritance claims. Strong, centralized global trust laws must permanently safeguard these properties from any form of encroachment, commercial exploitation, or fragmentation, ensuring they remain protected sanctuaries for seekers for millennia.

Clarifying the Divine Succession

Crucially, it is time for Sahaj Yogis worldwide to deeply understand, feel, and internalize a fundamental truth: Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi never declared any successor, nor can there ever be one. She stands entirely alone in spiritual history.

She came to this earth as the Adi Shakti (the Primordial Cosmic Energy) incarnate, holding all cosmic powers within Her, for the sole, compassionate purpose of granting mass Self-Realization to humanity.

Her spiritual authority cannot be inherited, passed down, or claimed by any individual, council, or biological family member.

On numerous occasions, Shri Mataji explicitly stated that Her biological family has nothing to do with the spiritual domain of Sahaj Yoga.

While Her family is deeply loved, respected, and honored by the collective for their presence during Her earthly walk, they hold no hereditary claim to governance, properties, or spiritual succession.

In the eyes of the Divine, the biological family is completely distinct from the mandate of Sahaj Yoga. Their private claims must never supersede or interfere with the global collective of Sahaj Yogis who carry Her work forward.

Sahaj Yoga belongs entirely to the genuine seekers of truth, governed directly by the timeless principles laid down by the Adi Shakti Herself.

As we celebrate World Yoga Day, let the global collectivity rise to its ultimate responsibility with a fierce, protective love for what we have been given.

By demanding recognition from world heritage bodies, enforcing airtight internal legal protections, securing our sacred heritage sites from family or external claims, and uniting under the absolute finality of Shri Mataji’s teachings, we will ensure that this magnificent Maha Yoga survives uncorrupted, guiding human ascension for thousands of years to come.

The Writer has been practicing Sahaj Yoga since 2004 and is a former Trustee of The Life Eternal Trust, Delhi.

By Habil Onyango

On Tuesday, Homa Bay County Governor Gladys Wanga appeared before the Senate Public Accounts Committee (CPAC), chaired by Senator Moses Kajwang, to discuss the implementation status of recommendations from the Auditor General’s reports for the 2024/2025 financial year. Initially, the Governor and her team had boycotted the committee’s session following directives from the Council of Governors.

“We have embraced the audit process as an indispensable tool for improving systems, strengthening internal controls, and ensuring value for money in public expenditure to deliver better services to our people,” said Wanga.

The committee pressed Wanga to explain her report on the lawful and effective use of public resources. The Auditor General questioned the expenditure of Ksh1,616,696,508 under the Facilities Improvement Financing (FIF) Act, 2023, citing non-compliance.

During the review of revenue records from Level 4 and Level 5 health facilities in Homa Bay County, the Auditor General found that 24 health facilities had collected a total of Ksh1,616,696,507 for facility improvements. Of this amount, Ksh915,941,725 was transferred to the FIF Special Purpose Account (SPA) at the Health Department. However, the Auditor General reported that the FIF SPA reimbursed only Ksh687,007,505 to the health facilities, resulting in a deficit of Ksh228,934,221. This situation contravened Section 5(1) of the Facilities Improvement Financing Act, 2023, which mandates that all funds raised by public health facilities must be retained within the Hospital Facilities Improvement Financing account.

“The failure to reimburse the full amount negatively impacted service delivery at the health facilities,” noted the Auditor General.

Wanga clarified that the county government had retained 20 percent of the total amount transferred to the FIF SPA. She explained that out of the total transferred, Ksh193,188,345 was lawfully retained and utilised within the healthcare sector. This retained money funded programmes such as supervising health facilities and providing support for Level 3 and 4 facilities.

Wanga also stated that the remaining Ksh687,007,504 was reimbursed to the facilities during the financial year.

“As of June 2025, Ksh45,745,875 remained unreimbursed, which formed part of the cash and cash equivalent balance of Ksh76,144,115 disclosed in the SPA balance,” Wanga informed the committee. “However, these funds were later reimbursed to the facilities in July 2025,” she added.

The Auditor General pointed out that the National Law under the FIF Act, 2023, requires that all funds collected be retained at the facilities. He noted a conflict between National and County Government laws, suggesting a need to amend the Act. According to the Auditor General, the management of the County Executive was in breach of the law by retaining 20 percent of the total FIF collections for Homa Bay, which was not aligned with National laws. Nyamira Senator Okong’o Omogeni questioned the rationale behind the 20 percent retention.

Wanga explained that when drafting the Facilities Improvement Bill, they adopted a standard legislative template circulated among the counties. “The retained money is used for supervision and support for lower-level facilities within the catchment area of Level 4 facilities, and that is the rationale behind this retention,” she informed the Senate committee. “This was a countrywide approach that we adapted for Homa Bay,” she said.

Omogeni advised that issues related to health should be discussed further between the Senate and the Council of Governors. He suggested that if the retention of 20 percent improves health service provision, the National law could be amended accordingly.

However, Kajwang noted that the Senate passed laws intending to ensure that money collected from facilities is reinvested there. “In the hierarchy of laws, National laws are superior to County laws, and if there is a need for further discussions, the Senate is open to engagement,” said the Chairman.

Wanga highlighted that the appearance of a breach in National laws results from the conflict between National and County laws, which may not fit all counties uniformly. She revealed that they are currently working on amending their own laws to align with national legislation. “All these efforts are aimed at improving service delivery and ensuring compliance,” Wanga said.

The Senate, however, raised concerns about the Ksh700 million discrepancy between the funds deposited in the FIF SPA and the money reimbursed to the facilities.

According to the Auditor General, Ksh1.6 billion had been collected from the 24 health facilities; however, the county government reported only Ksh915 million.

The Senate inquired whether the funds were classified as expenditures at the source.

However, according to Wanga, health facilities report the amounts they have claimed from the SHA as their revenue, rather than what the SHA has actually reimbursed them at any given time.

“They may report these amounts in their records, but based on the claims, they have not received the reimbursements,” she clarified.

“While every treatment leads to a claim being filed, the money does not necessarily come back to them promptly. Sometimes, we have to report revenue based on those claims, hoping to eventually receive the funds. This might have caused the confusion; we have tightened regulations we have regarding expenditures at the source,” she said.

By Anderson Ojwang

The Ad Hoc Committee, after reviewing the bank statements and records, established and identified suspicious transactions and systemic reconciliation failures.

And now the committee has recommended an urgent forensic audit into the suspicious transactions.

“The reviewed KCB bank statement records identified suspicious transactions and systemic reconciliation failures that warrant forensic investigation,” the committee wrote.

The committee further established that reconciliation between the county and Safaricom PLC was conducted only quarterly, a structurally deficient arrangement.

“The gap between 21 and 23 hospital Paybills operating outside the IRMS, accounting for Kshs 1,932,649,051 in FY 2024/2025, means the dominant driver of Own Source Revenue growth was entirely outside the automated reconciliation framework,” it observed.

The committee said the mismatch between the approved budget figure of Kshs 3,804,073,100 for FY 2024/2025 (Budget Implementation Report, Quarter 4) and the actual collections of Kshs 2,463,027,946 represents a 65% performance rate.

Similarly, the Revenue Board CEO’s performance contract target of Kshs 2.1 billion created a discordance of Kshs 1.5 billion against the approved budget of Kshs 3.6 billion for FY 2025/2026 – an institutionalised underperformance target.

Findings

The committee found that the failure to sweep daily collections fully to the County Revenue Fund account contravenes Section 109(4)(b) of the PFM Act; the quarterly reconciliation cycle is structurally inadequate and has enabled the accumulation of arrears; and the deliberate alignment of the CEO’s performance contract at Kshs 2.1 billion against a budget of Kshs 3.6 billion institutionalised underperformance and created a governance contradiction that cannot have been accidental.

Equally, two years after the allegations of the Sh273 million revenue loss by Kisumu County Government, the Finance department was yet to undertake reconciliation and forensic audit.

Why has the CEC Finance, George Omondi Okongo, failed to reconcile the books or undertake a forensic audit following the allegations of Sh273 million revenue loss?

The committee revealed the existence of off-system cash collections, informal collection arrangements, and unreceipted transactions that materially undermine the ability to conclusively attribute any alleged revenue discrepancies to the IRMS itself.

The committee said the CEC Member, Mr George Omondi Okongo, submitted that an internal estimate had indicated up to 887,086 transactions, with an approximate value of Kshs 273,000,000, had been removed from active visibility within the IRMS, pending verification and reconciliation of records provided by Safaricom PLC and the technology partner.

Correspondence and supporting documentation shared by Safaricom PLC indicated that the removal process had been undertaken pursuant to formal instructions issued by the relevant county revenue authorities in the course of operational and administrative processes within the system.

Safaricom PLC acted on the basis of those instructions as communicated through the established engagement framework with the county and its designated stakeholders.

The committee further notes that the alleged Kshs 273,000,000 loss remains an unproven allegation of fraud and has not been conclusively established through any completed forensic audit, reconciliation exercise or judicial determination.

Further, as evidenced by the documentation and invoices provided by Safaricom PLC, no Software as a Service (SaaS) fees constituting four per cent (4%) of collections are payable to Safaricom PLC unless and until a detailed reconciliation process is undertaken, verified and formally signed off by both parties.

This demonstrates that the county not only reviews but actively verifies and approves the reconciled revenue figures prior to invoicing and payment, and that the invoices issued by Safaricom are neither arbitrary nor unilateral in nature.

On Transaction Deletion, Restoration and the Kshs 273,000,000 Claim

According to the County of Kisumu, approximately 887,086 transactions were archived at the request of the Kisumu Revenue Board, primarily consisting of unstructured revenue (such as unpaid parking fees held beyond 24 hours) and duplicated invoices.

A formal letter from a Revenue Board employee identified as Benter requested the removal of these records. Safaricom PLC and RevTech Innovation Limited complied with the directive issued by county officials, including the then-CEO Lawrence, who cited concerns about “perishable” unpaid invoices clogging the system.

Due to an inaccurate script used in the archiving exercise, some structured transaction invoices were mistakenly archived alongside unpaid ones. These were subsequently restored from cloud backups as a single batch without filtering.

This was confirmed by the Director of ICT during the meeting with Safaricom. Further, Safaricom PLC shared minutes dated 2nd October 2024 which, under the agenda item on Data Integrity, confirmed that the archived logs had been retained within the system without any further deletion.

Safaricom PLC also provided an email dated 11th October 2024 from Isaac Kabutha to the County Government of Kisumu confirming that the archived transaction records had subsequently been restored and uploaded back into the system.

The same correspondence further confirmed that a link containing the archived logs had been shared with the county’s ICT officer for access and verification.

Safaricom’s position

Safaricom maintains that no actual revenue was lost because the system’s payment flow directs all Pay Bill *427# payments directly into the county’s designated bank account, making diversion or financial loss through the archiving process technically impossible.

Safaricom further clarified that, prior to the county’s later assertions and demand letter, it had never previously been informed or made aware of allegations that 887,086 transactions valued at approximately Kshs 273,000,000 were allegedly missing.

Accordingly, Safaricom’s earlier response stating that it was “not aware of any missing transactions” was based on the understanding that the archived logs had already been restored and verified as communicated in the meetings and correspondence exchanged with the county.

Safaricom’s position was therefore that the Kshs 273,000,000 was an alleged loss and the calculation behind this loss was unknown.

During the committee proceedings, Safaricom reiterated its commitment to transparency, cooperation and full disclosure, including continued sharing of logs, audit trails and restoration records to support reconciliation and verification efforts.

However, the committee notes that the archiving exercise affected reporting accuracy and created discrepancies between certain system reports and bank balances.

The Kshs 273,000,000 claim

The committee found, based on evidence gathered at Sitting No. 21 (14th May 2026), Sitting No. 23 (20th May 2026), and the report submitted by Safaricom PLC on 22nd May 2026, that the archiving of transactions from the IRMS was undertaken pursuant to instructions issued by officers of the County Government of Kisumu.

The material presented before the committee indicated that a total of 3,366 logs amounting to Kshs 131,580,713.40, comprising both structured and unstructured invoices, were archived following formal requests attributed to county officials.

The evidence further demonstrated that the archived logs were subsequently restored onto the system, a position confirmed through minutes shared by Safaricom PLC as well as subsequent correspondence and email confirmations acknowledging that the removed records had been reinstated within the IRMS.

In light of the foregoing, the committee noted that the claim for Kshs 273,000,000 in alleged revenue loss remains unsubstantiated, particularly in the absence of a completed reconciliation exercise, forensic audit, or other conclusive evidence establishing actual loss attributable to the archived transactions.

Review

Safaricom PLC initiated an independent review into RevTech activities on 12th November 2024 following correspondence from the county dated 11th October 2024 raising concerns regarding possible irregularities.

The committee noted that, subsequent to the earlier sitting, Safaricom PLC shared additional reports, logs and supporting documentation relating to the matter, including information concerning archived and restored transactions.

The committee further noted Safaricom PLC’s continued participation in committee sittings, cooperation with requests for information, and stated commitment to transparency, accountability and continued collaboration with the county in resolving outstanding reconciliation and operational matters relating to the Integrated Revenue Management System.

The committee noted that despite the acknowledged system challenges, Safaricom PLC asserted a one hundred and thirteen per cent (113%) increase in revenue collection attributed to the ICRMS, demonstrating the system’s value in automation, transparency and real-time reconciliation.

On IT System (IRMS) Performance and Technical Deficiencies

The CEC Member submitted that a persistent identified issue was that payment postings take multiple days to reflect in the IRMS, affecting reconciliation and client service.

A Joint Technical Committee produced remedial recommendations. Data quality gaps were confirmed, including outdated land rates records, an incomplete business register, and inconsistent valuations. Safaricom shared communication that explains the archiving of transactions and confirmed restoration of the same.

Resolutions and Immediate Action Requests: The committee formally resolved:

• That the Treasury reconcile accounts with Safaricom and pay any outstanding amounts found to be due;
• That the CECM Finance obtain and verify Board minutes and resolutions authorising any transaction deletions;
• That HR and legal consequences for implicated staff be pursued;
• That technical fixes be completed, bank sweep anomalies be reconciled, datasets be integrated, and technical staff recruitment be operationalised;
• That clearer communication on rates and receipts and visible value-for-money demonstrations be implemented;
• That public awareness campaigns and clearer communication of billing practices be implemented;
• That revenue collectors be vetted, with patronage-based appointments converted to performance-based contracts where appropriate.

By Anderson Ojwang

The appointment of John Mbadi as the Cabinet Secretary for the Treasury was not a walk in the park.

It was the most difficult for President William Ruto and the late former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.

For President Ruto, he had put his foot down to end decades of marginalisation of the Luo community from assuming the coveted seat.

And for Raila, he was known as a man who never reneges on his promise and wanted to meet part of his bargain.

Hard moment

President Ruto said the appointment of the CS for Treasury was the only instance during the formation of the broad-based government that he defied Raila.

“I remember very well that Raila Odinga had a different opinion on who should be the Minister of Finance. I remember I told him that ‘my brother, if there is one place I will defy you, it is that I am going to appoint a person from Luo Nyanza to be the first Minister of Finance,'” he said.

President Ruto said this was meant to correct the negative profiling of a whole community that they don’t care about property and that property belongs to some people.

“Listen, good people, it is also the same reason why I have made the decision that development in Kenya is never going to be done again on account of which citizen has voted in which direction,” he said.

Raila’s pre-election cabinet

Ahead of the 2022 general elections, Raila announced the list of some of his preferred cabinet members. On the list for Cabinet Secretary was Wycliff Oparanya, then Governor of Kakamega. Oparanya was also the deputy party leader of ODM and a key pillar in Raila’s campaign.

So when Raila lost the elections, Oparanya and other cabinet ministers Raila had announced were left without portfolios.

So Raila was committed to handing over the position to Oparanya in the broad-based arrangement.

Wako and Luhya pressure

Former Busia Senator Amos Wako led Luhya elders, professionals, and politicians to pressure Raila to make good on his promise.

Raila found himself in a difficult situation over the cabinet position as Wako and his team never gave him a chance.

Mama Ida Odinga, Raphael Tuju and Junet Mohammed

The trio of Mama Ida Odinga, Raphael Tuju, and the Minority Leader in the National Assembly, Junet Mohammed, scuttled any move to take away the position from Luo Nyanza.

Multiple sources told Western Insight that the trio applied pressure on Raila to accept the appointment of Mbadi as the Finance Minister.

“The trio did not want to hear anything about Oparanya as CS for Treasury. It was like a bloodless coup to have Mbadi appointed. The pressure from Wako and his team was not small, but the trio never budged,” said the sources.

The seven-hour night meeting

At a hotel in Karen, Oparanya, Tuju, Ida, and Junet held a seven-hour meeting. The meeting, which started shortly after 6.00 pm and ended at 1.00 am, was a marathon and tiring affair.

The trio had to do everything to convince Oparanya to drop his demand for the CS Treasury.

“It took us seven hours to convince Oparanya. We burned the midnight oil, and finally, we had white smoke. We drank kettles of tea that night. We ate samosas and chicken wings as we tried to broker a truce,” said our sources.

After a marathon consultative meeting, Oparanya agreed to settle for the CS Energy portfolio, and that is how Mbadi landed the seat.

Oburu

The team then invited Dr Oburu Oginga to the camp so that he could ratify the resolution.

The members feared that if the proposal did not have Oburu’s support, he would scuttle it.

Oburu aligned with the CS Treasury proposal and went ahead to put additional pressure on Raila.

The Energy docket

But Oparanya swallowed the humble pie when the cabinet was announced, and the Energy portfolio went to Opiyo Wandayi while he settled for Cooperatives and MSMEs.

The whining Oparanya

Oparanya has been whining and threatening to defect from ODM to unite the Luhya community under one political umbrella.

Oparanya has been blowing hot and cold and has been critical of the ODM party.

Oparanya has been sending mixed signals within and without the government and the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party, which has not only baffled but left tongues wagging over what he could probably be up to and whether he is preparing for a presidential stab in the 2027 general elections.

Recently, Oparanya shocked the public with his revelation that selling President William Ruto’s second term was becoming difficult after ODM sacked its Secretary General Edwin Sifuna.

President Ruto expects Oparanya to lead his campaign in Western Kenya and other parts of the country, and such a statement undermines the campaigns and the re-election game plan.

“Kazi yetu ya kutafutia rais kura imekuwa ngumu. Ukienda mahali unaulizwa mbona Sifuna alifukuzwa (Our work to seek votes for the president is becoming very difficult. They are asking why did you chase away our son). Ukienda kwa bunge wanafukuza wengine (In parliament now they want to chase away others). Na hii ni kipindi cha lala salama (This is the dying minute). Hiyo itasaidia sisi? (How will that help?)” he said.

Hot and cold

Oparanya has been advocating for Luhya unity and even threatened to resign from the ODM party to front a common community political objective.

“Tunataka sisi wote tuwe pamoja wakati huu (We all want to be united at this moment). Kama mtu amekukosea, sema sorry (If someone has wronged you, ask for forgiveness). Ikifika 2027, tukaye chini tushiriane na tulize (In 2027, we can sit down and negotiate),” he said.

Oparanya has called on the Luhya political class to have one political vehicle to drive their agenda.

“Jirongo tried to unite the Luhya community. Whenever I met him, he would talk to me about Luhya unity. One day I asked him if I was the problem and impediment to the unity. Because I am in ODM, if I am the obstacle, I am ready to leave the party as the deputy party leader at that time to unite the community and form a single political party. We have three Luhyas who are party leaders of political parties: Eugene Wamalwa, Moses Wetang’ula, and Musalia, but he dissolved his party. These are the party leaders. Let me say this: I am ready to leave ODM to unite the Luhya community. I know if we come together, we are the sleeping giant in this country,” he said.

Luo to repay the support

Oparanya declared that the Luhya community was also looking for power and it was time the Luo community supported them.

“We have supported the late Raila Odinga with one heart. That support should not be taken for granted. Now it is our time. For all these years, Raila contested for the presidency, and we have been with him. Now they must look into it: what do those people from Western in ODM get? If they are not looking at the interests of Western, we tell them bye. We will have a meeting. Raila left us, and they have forgotten that we were close to Raila. We were leaders in that party. They are busy with their programmes of power, and they do not know that even we from Western want power,” he said.

Could Oparanya be preparing his exit strategy and finally have a stab at the presidency in the 2027 general elections, or is he repositioning himself for the altar of power negotiation?

And will President Ruto hold on to Oparanya despite his scaring and confusing statements to the public? Time will tell, whichever way.