1. WHEN KENYA CORRUPTION PENETRATES THE CITADEL OF POWER
Mr. RailaOdinga,Kenya’sopposition chief, told President Uhuru Kenyatta as much; that Kenya’s mega
corruptionscandalsrevolve aroundthe presidencyandthe vice-presidency.Perhaps UhuruKenyattaset
too higha threshold forhimself,wantingtobe Africa’sLee Kuan Yew.Soeverybody whowasfoundwith
corruption suspicion had to quit office pending 60 days of investigations. Five ministers fell in this
category and had no choice but to step aside. Some are already charged in court.
Thencame the bombshell thatnoone expected.Uhuru’s most trusted, most competent, most likeable
cabinet secretary, the unspoken minister plenipotentiary Anne Waiguru, was discovered to be knee-
deep in a corruption scandal at the National Youth Service section of her ministry of Devolution and
Planning,the biggestandwealthiestministry.Herhardworkand professionalism had impressed many.
She was as muchat home inthe boardroom articulations as she was at the Kibera slums, knee-deep in
mucky filth digging trenches. You could not help admiring the simplicity and practicality of Ms Anne
Waiguru, playing at being one of the slum dwellers and workers.
Said to be emotionally close to the president, this time round William Ruto the Deputy President was
more tactful, coming out full blast in good time supporting the beleaguered Anne Waiguru. Ruto was
seen as being tactful because in the past he was rumoured to have attempted to sponsor a vote of no
confidence in Waiguru in parliament. At that time the bone of contention seemed to be Waiguru’s
dominationof the president’sattention.Butnow itseemsobviousthatRuto, a naturallyenviousperson,
was not comfortable with the financial killing she was making in the government at his expense.
National YouthService isjustadepartmentinhersprawlingministry.Whilecountygovernments,alsoin
the same ministry, are allocated Sh. 5 billion or less in a year, the NYS has been allocated a cool Sh. 25
billion,what some counties get in 5 years. Yet the counties are much more complex in structures with
highlyprofessional categories of work force to be served. In the previous financial year NYS got Sh. 17
billion.

2. Anne Waigurubecame quite awkwarddefending asituation atthe NYSwhere four individuals owning 8
different companies won tenders worth shillings hundreds of millions trading with NYS at more than
double the normal rates of pricing. The usual procedure is that a tendering party must avail the names
of itsdirectors andif theyare one and the same for all firms involved then a red flag is raised. Waiguru
was defending the indefensible.
But Waiguruis noordinaryminister.Whilethe likesof CharityNgiluandMichael Kamauwent with their
tailstuckedbetween their legs, Waiguru went national. A rented mob demonstrated in her support in
the streets of Nairobi while a similar one did so in the unlikely far-flung Obunga estate of Kisumu. In
Nairobi there wasconfrontation,whenthose whowere returningfromdowntownstreetsmet with die-
hard Odingasupporterswhohadheardof theirmischief andsetoff tomeetthemhead-on.AnNYS built
toilet complex and a dispensary were burnt to the ground.
Uncharacteristically Railawasscathingonthe issue of NYS.Waiguru had concentratedthe NYS activities
inthe Kiberaslumsthathave beenthe political powerbase of Railanationally.NotthatRailais not keen
on slumup-grading.Duringhistime asPrime Minister he had initiated high rise flats building in part of
the estate and physicallytookpart in relocating people there. During the 2007 - 8 mayhem, the Kibera
slumtougheesmade sure the entire Nairobi,especially anditsenvirons,remainedfirmlyinthe hands of
Raila’s party ODM. This was most galling to Kikuyus because Nairobi is supposed to be their
metropolitan home. But the goons in Kibera made it hard for them and evicted Kikuyu landlords from
their houses, occupying them by force for no payment.
Political scientist Mr. Mutahi Ngunyi, a Raila admirer turned underminer, pointed out to the Jubilee
coalition that they cannot control all Kenya when Raila was still commanding two formidable bases of
Kibera and the slum of his hometown Nyalenda in Kisumu. So the NYS activities have been initially
concentratedatKiberaand NyalendainKisumu.Mutahi Ngunyiknowshow lethal Raila can be, and one
time chastised then President Mwai Kibaki for taking Raila so much for granted. He said if he were
Kibaki,he wouldbuildRailaanannexe at State house sohe couldmonitor himmore closely. No wonder
whenhe tookoverthe Jubileeprojectone of the schemeswastowin over as many Raila close relatives
as possible, a project that is still quite on – knowing your enemy.

3. In the 2013 electionplanMutahi came outwiththe notorioustheoryof the Tryanny of Numbers, which
was meant to prepare people psychologically for an unnatural win. Because that is the only way he
knew Raila could be defeated, and it worked. But now Mutahi Ngunyi is in the thick of the NYS scam
where his consulting house has raked in millions in questionable deals.
The idea of enhancing the NYS was a very clever one with long term implications. Mr. Mutahi Ngunyi,
like everyotherKikuyu,wasbitterthatinthe 2007 – 8 mayhemKikuyuswere profiled and hounded out
like ratsfrom all hooksof Kenya.There wastherefore aneedfora force,an indoctrinatedone that could
be handy in case of a repeat of such tribal attacks. Kibera and Kisumu, the two unmistakable Raila
bastions, would require preferential treatment in case of such eventualities.
There was to be recruitment of 30,000 youths every month, and now they have reached a quarter
million. The target is a minimum of one million, mostly Kikuyus, who would be deployed all over the
country and kept busy with public works. They would also perform the double role of voting for the
government during elections, thus showing that Uhuru Kenyatta had support all over the country.
When the Chinese Prime Minister visited the country early last year a special reception was made for
himat the NYS,and he pledged massive support by way of financing, equipment and training. NYS is a
juggernaut involved in the importation of rice and sugar through the al-shabaab port of Kismayu,
according to a number of opposition MPs.
The revelationsatNYSmustbe veryembrassingtoUhuruKenyatta.Firstpeople are watching how he is
goingto handle the necessaryresignationof Anne Waiguru,aministerafter his own heart. Already MPs
have been mobilized all over Kikuyuland shouting her defence, and telling the president not to move
her.

4. Anne Waiguruherself ispresidentialmaterial.She isthe onlyKikuyuministerwhocouldcome toKisumu
without nursing second thoughts. The other day she was in Kisumu she joked that she was still single
and if any Kisumu man wanted to take her on he would be most welcome. She enjoyed tacit support
fromLuo politiciansacrossthe board,thusderailingRuto’sill-fated motion of no confidence in her. But
thistime roundthingshave turnedupside downforher.The usuallycool andstateman-likeRailaOdinga
turnedrabidagainsther, because she touched on a raw nerve, Agwambo (Raila) power base of Kibera,
bringing token public works and goodies.
Railahas disregardedWaiguru’sreadycharm, andof late appearedtogive hisdaughterRosemaryatacit
consent to contest the Kibera parliamentary seat. Rosemary, equally charming and same age as
Waiguru, is otherwise timid and less confident than the powerful, experienced daughter of Mumbi.
Rosemary seems very sincere, and of course with time and seasoning will be all right.
BY;
FREDERICK OWINO OYARO
Email: frederickoyaro@gmail.com