By Odiwuor Alala

History is rarely broken by solitary monsters; more often, it is dismantled by committees of the compliant. When bad leaders rise to power—whether in a corporate boardroom or a totalitarian regime—one of their very first acts is to systematically replace critical thinkers with “yes men.” These are advisors whose primary function is not to offer wisdom, but to mirror the leader’s ego and validate their worst impulses.

This preference for blind compliance creates a dangerous political and moral vacuum. When a leader’s worldview goes entirely unchallenged, policy detaches from reality, and atrocities become normalised. To understand how ordinary human compliance scales into historic catastrophe, we must look to political theorist Hannah Arendt and her profound analysis of Adolf Eichmann—the historical archetype of the bureaucratic “yes man.”

Bad leaders, particularly those with authoritarian or highly narcissistic tendencies, operate under an intense undercurrent of fragility. For them, advice is not a tool for optimisation; it is a metric of loyalty. They view genuine counsel—which inherently requires pointing out risks, flaws, and ethical boundaries—as a form of soft mutiny.

By surrounding themselves with “yes men,” bad leaders accomplish three distinct objectives:

1. Ego Preservation: Maintaining an artificial reality where they are perpetually correct, infallible, and beloved.
2. Consolidation of Power: Weeding out independent thinkers to ensure that the mechanisms of execution face zero friction.
3. The Elimination of Conscience: A leader looking to enact harmful policies needs an advisory body that will translate cruel directives into sterile, administrative goals without pausing to ask, “Is this right?”

When a leadership circle becomes an echo chamber, a psychological shift occurs. Morality ceases to be evaluated by the outcome of an action; instead, it is judged by how efficiently one executes the command.

The danger of the “yes man” extends far beyond historical regimes; it is a structural vulnerability present in any human organisation, from corporate boards to modern governments. When leaders demand absolute compliance and dismiss critics as enemies, they set the stage for systemic moral failure.

“Yes men” provide bad leaders with the leverage they need to tip a system over the edge. By automating obedience and muting the voice of conscience, they prove that the most destructive forces in history are not always those who plot evil actively, but the countless ordinary people who simply refuse to say “no.”

By Anderson Ojwang

The Senate’s latest Fiscal Performance by Counties has finally laid the truth bare for the public to consume, with only 12 months to the General Election.

Homa Bay County and Governor Gladys Wanga, who after assumption of office has been ranked as a top performer by various pollsters, finally found herself in unfamiliar territory – position 28, down from the top ten.

Wanga has been oscillating between positions, but the Senate Report finally placed Wanga in position 28 nationally.

While Siaya Governor James Orengo, who had been getting negative ranking, was placed in position 17 and led in the region.

Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang’ Nyong’o was last both nationally and regionally.

Migori County Governor Ochilo Ayacko was ranked 21, ahead of Wanga. Kisii County Governor and ODM Deputy Party Leader Simba Arati was ranked 37, while Nyamira County was ranked in position 36.

Wanga’s ranking by pollsters

Since taking office in August 2022, Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga has consistently climbed the rankings in major national performance and approval polls.

Her performance tracking across the prominent Infotrak CountyTrak Index and major independent pollsters highlights her trajectory:

Wanga’s most notable shift occurred between 2023 and 2024, when she jumped from 29th to 3rd place nationally in the Infotrak Performance Index.

Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga ranked fourth nationally and first in the Nyanza region in the August 2026 CountyTrak Performance Survey by Infotrak. She scored a 66% approval rating, tying with Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo.

Siaya Governor James Orengo has faced mixed performance rankings in recent public opinion surveys. While some localized or alternative metrics indicate moderate-to-high approval ratings, major pollsters like Infotrak have placed him lower down among county performance indices, sparking active local political debates ahead of the 2027 elections.

Former Deputy Governor Oyugi Magwanga said the report by the Senate was factual, as various sectors in Homa Bay had collapsed.

He said the ranking of Homa Bay and Wanga by various pollsters was not factual to the reality on the ground.

“We are happy that finally the truth has spoken. The Senate poll is the true position on the ground,” he said.

The County scorecard

Counties scored relatively higher, with a mean score of 0.557 and a maximum of 0.823, indicating that none of the counties were able to fully implement their budgets as approved. The minimum score of 0.156 and a standard deviation of 0.138 show inconsistencies in execution, with many counties still struggling to implement their budgets effectively and on time.

“C” Performing Counties

Thirty-five counties scored a “C” with indices ranging from 0.404 for Kakamega to 0.567 for Kitui.

For counties with at least 50% – such as Mandera (0.531), Nakuru (0.522), Samburu (0.509), West Pokot (0.547), Kilifi (0.541), Wajir (0.559), Siaya (0.502), Tana River (0.526), Trans Nzoia (0.523), Kericho (0.512), Bungoma (0.516), and Kwale (0.555) – budget absorption was generally strong among this group, particularly Kitui and Trans Nzoia, which had a score exceeding 86%, suggesting competent budget execution.

Most counties also maintained moderate compliance in development expenditure, with Marsabit and Mandera recording relatively higher scores, pointing to reasonable focus on capital investments.

However, own-source revenue performance and audit outcomes tended to be weaker across the group, with the majority of counties recording audit CFPMI scores of 0.375 except Kwale, Trans Nzoia, West Pokot, Kericho, and Bungoma, indicating room for improvement in financial accountability.

Additionally, county assembly expenditure scores varied, with Nakuru performing better (0.965) while Marsabit (0.302) lagged, which signals potential inefficiencies in legislative spending.

Overall, these counties exhibited stable but unexceptional performance, highlighting the need to enhance audit practices, strengthen local revenue mobilisation, and maintain discipline in county assembly expenditure to transition into higher-performing tiers.

By Reporter

A Nairobi court on Thursday approved an application by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) to extradite three Kenyans to the United States of America to face criminal charges.

Principal Magistrate Hon. P.K. Mutai endorsed warrants of arrest against Francis Asanyo, Peter Omari and Elvis Obaigwa. The warrants were issued by the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, Richmond Division, on 15th November 2023.

The three are wanted to face charges related to conspiracy to commit computer intrusions, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and aiding and abetting under U.S. law.

The extradition proceedings followed a formal request made by the United States on 26th February 2026 through Kenya’s Central Authority, the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice. The request was submitted by Jeffrey M. Olson, Associate Director, Office of International Affairs, Criminal Division, U.S. Department of Justice.

After reviewing the request and supporting evidence, the DPP confirmed that the legal requirements for extradition had been met and applied to the court for the necessary orders.

The court directed that the three respondents be held at Industrial Area Prison pending their extradition to the United States.

Prosecution was led by Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Vincent Monda, assisted by Principal Prosecution Counsel Victor Owiti and Prosecution Counsel Fatma Shaban.

By Anderson Ojwang

Prof Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o is known as a man of the fast. An alumnus of the prestigious Alliance High School and was awarded a first-class degree from Makerere University in Political Science.

A respected global scholar and the founding secretary of ODM, the driver of Kenya’s Vision 2030. Wuod Mary has drawn both local and international accolades.

The 2017 ODM championed him as the saviour of Kisumu County and birthed the dream of Kisumu city as Europe.

In him, ODM leadership were convinced Kisumu County would be another Singapore, after the failed Canaan pursuit.

Singapore became the next destination for Kisumu, and the dream lives on.

Pollstar InfoTrak, in its latest CountyTrak Performance Index, Kisumu County and the Governor received strong public approval ratings. Governor Nyong’o tied in 6th place nationally among the best-performing governors with a 65 percent approval rating, while Kisumu ranked high among the regions where the residents feel the current administration has significantly improved conditions.

But wait a minute

Was the polling scientific or manufactured to create a conversation?

Take a look at what the Senate has brought forward. How do we trust? Do we trust InfoTrak or the Senate?

Recently, the senators asked Nyong’o if he wanted to pass over Sh5.9 billion in pending bills to the new administration.

Public Accounts Committee Chairman Moses Kajwang’ asked Nyong’o whether he was planning to hand over Sh5.9 billion debt to the next administration.

“Are you planning to hand over Sh5.9 billion debt to the next administration? What is the plan, because these responses, whatever is on paper, is just accounting speak. You close that year with Sh5.9 billion as debt. Whether it is legal fees or whether it is one year old or ten years old, but after 10 years of being in office, would you be handing over Sh5.9 billion as unpaid debt to the next administration?” he asked.

Kajwang’ said there was serious concern over Sh5.9 billion of unpaid pending bills, while the revenue for the year was Sh9 billion, which exceeded the debt-to-revenue ratio capped at 20 percent but was at a high of over 60 percent.

“Do you have a payment plan, and have you submitted it to the Controller of Budget, and to what extent has this debt been reduced?” he said.

The committee interrogated Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o and county officials over what it described as a 108 per cent increase in pending bills within a single financial year.

And yesterday, the Senate rewarded him with a certificate – a certificate of the worst performer with a grade D in the County Fiscal Performance Measurement Index (CFPMI).

The grade D category

In this category, Kisumu County for the second year running maintained the last bottom place.

A total of 10 counties fall under the “D” performance category, with overall CFPMI scores below 0.400. These counties included Kajiado (0.367), Kisii (0.392), Kisumu (0.340), Laikipia (0.377), Machakos (0.364), Mombasa (0.357), Nyamira (0.364), Nyandarua (0.374), and Nairobi City (0.324).

Weaknesses

Across these counties, common weaknesses were evident in several CFPMI sub-indicators.

Many recorded low scores in development expenditure, falling short of the 30% minimum threshold, undermining the alignment of spending with long-term growth priorities.

Wage and benefits ratios in a number of counties also approached or exceeded the 35 percent ceiling, indicating fiscal pressures from personnel costs.

Additionally, weak audit opinion scores, high pending bills, and low own-source revenue mobilisation further contributed to depressed overall CFPMI scores.

Counties like Kisumu and Nairobi City posted some of the lowest CFPMI scores of 0.340 and 0.324 respectively, pointing to systemic weaknesses in budget execution, transparency, and institutional performance.

These results suggest a critical need for improved financial planning, strengthened fiscal discipline, and enhanced accountability systems across the board.

Intervention

There is need for urgent and comprehensive interventions to reverse the underperformance and restore effective service delivery.

In 2024/25, as presented, nine counties fell within the “D” performance category, down from 10 in 2023/24, indicating a marginal contraction in the lowest-performing group.

The 2024/25 “D” counties all recorded overall CFPMI scores below 0.400: Bungoma (0.398), Kajiado (0.392), Lamu and Baringo (0.390), Nairobi City (0.387), Bomet (0.383), Busia (0.362), Kakamega (0.358), and Kisumu (0.285).

This reflects persistent fiscal and structural weaknesses similar to those observed in the previous FY.

Exit D category

Compared to 2023/24, the “D” category composition shifted notably.

Mombasa, Nyamira, Nyandarua, and Kisii improved sufficiently to exit the “D” band, while Kakamega and Taita Taveta entered the category in 2024/25 due to weaker fiscal performance, particularly budget execution, Own Source Revenue mobilisation, and development expenditure.

While Kakamega (0.399) and Laikipia (0.398) came close to the “C” threshold, most counties continued to underperform in development expenditure, OSR, and audit compliance.

Laikipia showed marginal improvement compared to its 2023/24 score, reflecting modest gains.

Conversely, Kajiado (0.331) and Machakos (0.371) recorded further declines relative to 2023/24, indicating deepening inefficiencies in budget execution, revenue mobilisation, and wage management.

Bottomers

Kisumu (0.321) and Nairobi City (0.346) remained in the lower tier for the second consecutive FY, underscoring entrenched fiscal stress linked to low development expenditure, high wage burdens, and pending obligations, highlighting persistent challenges in financial control and arrears management.

Overall, the 2024/25 “D” performance results show slight consolidation within the lower tier, as the number of counties declined but systemic weaknesses persisted.

The group continues to face structural PFM constraints, notably underinvestment in development, rising personnel costs, low OSR performance, and accumulated pending obligations. Sustained and targeted reforms in fiscal discipline, revenue enhancement, and expenditure control are essential to prevent further deterioration and enable gradual transition toward mid-tier fiscal performance.

By Sandra Blessing

The Government has frozen the issuance of new sugar import licences.

Similarly, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe reaffirmed the ban on sugar imports.

Kagwe also set the date for the long-awaited elections for five regional grower directors to the Kenya Sugar Board, scheduled for September 5, 2026, marking a major milestone towards fully operationalising the Board under the Sugar Act, 2024.

The announcements were made during a high-level consultative meeting convened by Kagwe at Kilimo House with sugar farmers, industry stakeholders, and officials from the Kenya Sugar Board.

Kagwe announced a raft of measures aimed at protecting local sugar farmers and strengthening the sector.

The official election date was declared by Harun Khator, Chairperson of the Kenya Sugar Board Grower Directors Election Committee and Secretary for Administration in the State Department for Livestock Development.

Elections

Khator announced that, following consultations with stakeholders, the committee had unanimously agreed to hold the elections on Saturday, September 5, 2026, with the election notice to be published on August 6.

“The powers have been vested in my office to declare these elections. I therefore officially announce that the elections for the five grower directors representing the five sugar-growing regions will be held on Saturday, September 5, 2026. We shall work with all stakeholders to ensure the elections are conducted in accordance with the provisions of the law,” Khator said.

The elections will fill the five grower representative positions on the Kenya Sugar Board as provided under the Sugar Act, 2024, completing the Board’s membership and enabling it to become fully operational.

Kenya Sugar Board Chief Executive Officer Jude Chesire said the election of the five grower directors is necessary to fully constitute the Board in accordance with the law.

He noted that several decisions requiring approval by the Board, including matters relating to the Sugar Development Levy, will be considered once the Board is fully constituted and operating within the legal framework.

Sugar imports

CS Kagwe reaffirmed the Government’s decision to halt sugar imports and directed that no new licences be issued for sugar importation, saying Kenya has now produced sufficient sugar to meet domestic demand without disrupting the local market.

“I have asked the Kenya Sugar Board to stop sugar imports. Henceforth, I do not want any licence issued for sugar imports. As at now, what we have produced is sufficient for the first time. We are going to ensure we do not mess up the internal market because of imports. We are not going to import sugar at the risk of the local industry,” he said.

The Cabinet Secretary said sugar imports have reduced significantly from about 210,000 metric tons last year to about 60,000 metric tons this year, attributing the decline partly to the KSh40 per kilogram excise duty introduced under the Finance Act, 2026, which has discouraged imports while safeguarding local producers.

He said the Government’s priority is now to protect local production as Kenya prepares to transition from a sugar-importing country to a sugar-exporting nation.

Licensing

CS Kagwe also announced stricter licensing requirements for new sugar factories to address rampant cane poaching, saying investors seeking milling licences must demonstrate adequate nucleus estates and contracted out-growers before approval.

“Before we licence a factory, we must know where the nucleus farm is and where the out-growers are.”

The Cabinet Secretary further assured farmers that the Government is moving to clear the remaining historical arrears owed to cane farmers.

Out of nearly KSh2 billion owed by the Government, only about KSh265 million remains outstanding.

“My happiest day will be when the Government owes sugar farmers absolutely nothing,” Kagwe said.

He said the ministry had already engaged National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi to facilitate payment of the remaining balance.

He also directed that concerns over delayed payments by some millers be addressed urgently after farmers complained that some factories continue accumulating fresh arrears despite improvements in the industry.

The elections received overwhelming support from farmer organisations, which insisted that the five grower directors must be elected rather than nominated.

Speaking on behalf of the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers, Secretary General Kilion Osur welcomed the implementation of the Sugar Act, 2024, saying farmers have waited long enough for the reforms.

He said growers had initially prepared to elect their representatives on June 25, but the exercise was delayed after court cases were filed by individuals whom he claimed were not genuine farmers.

Osur said farmers had been advised that the conservatory orders issued by the Kakamega High Court had been lifted, clearing the way for elections.

“We appreciate the committee appointed to oversee the elections. We want the Sugar Act implemented in totality. We do not want nominated directors; we want elections. If nomination is the best option, then Members of Parliament should also be nominated instead of being elected.”

He further accused individuals with interests outside the farming community of sponsoring court cases aimed at frustrating reforms in the sugar industry.

Farmers also raised concerns over delayed payments in Busia and Nzoia, saying prolonged payment periods have affected livelihoods.

Speaking on behalf of farmers, Atyang Atyang called for the release of the infrastructure component of the Sugar Development Levy to improve sugar roads, increased funding for cane development, and the operationalisation of the allocation meant for farmer advocacy organisations.

He argued that previous sugar imports had contributed to depressed local markets and delayed farmer payments.

Farmer representative Stephen Sifuna urged the Government to clear outstanding obligations owed to farmers and workers following the leasing of public sugar mills and expressed concern over some millers continuing to accumulate payment arrears despite operating under the same ownership as factories paying farmers promptly.

Stakeholders also urged the Government to write off more than KSh48 billion owed by former out-grower institutions to the Kenya Sugar Board, saying the move would strengthen farmer organisations and enable them to benefit more effectively from future cane development programmes.

Farmer leaders further appealed for payment based on sucrose content instead of the current formula and called for stability in cane pricing.

Representing young farmers, stakeholders said while they would welcome the restoration of the previous KSh5,750 per ton cane price, they would support retaining the current KSh5,500 per ton provided it remains sustainable for farmers, millers and consumers.

Responding to the concerns, CS Kagwe said cane pricing requires striking a delicate balance between the interests of farmers, millers and consumers.

“If nobody is completely satisfied, then it is probably a fair price because we must balance the interests of all the players.”

The Cabinet Secretary also disclosed that a substantive Chief Executive Officer for the Kenya Sugar Research and Training Institute (KESRETI) will be appointed by the end of the week to strengthen research, development of improved sugarcane varieties, and farmer engagement.

He pledged total accountability and transparency in the management of the sugar sector and reiterated that the Kenya Sugar Board would work closely with county governments in implementing reforms.

On the proposed Kenya Agricultural Development Corporation (KADCO) Bill, which has attracted concern from stakeholders, CS Kagwe said Parliament remains free to amend the legislation to reflect the views of the industry.

“This Bill is not a bible. It is amendable, and if it appears unpopular within the sector, then that is communication Parliament should receive.”

Farmer leaders, including Ezra Okoth, Kilion Osur, Nathan Narupa, Simon Wesechere, and Atyang Atyang, pledged to work together to ensure peaceful elections and successful implementation of the Sugar Act.

They announced plans to sign a memorandum of understanding bringing together sugar farmer organisations across the country, saying unity among growers is essential to sustaining ongoing reforms and increasing farmer incomes.

With the September 5 elections now set, the sugar sector is expected to reach one of the final milestones in implementing the Sugar Act, 2024, with the election of the five grower directors completing the membership of the Kenya Sugar Board and enabling it to fully execute its mandate as the country’s regulator while supporting ongoing reforms aimed at making Kenya’s sugar industry more competitive and profitable for farmers.