Unmasking Kalonzo Musyoka

By Kivutha Kibwana

 

 LAST weekend, Stephen Kalonzo Musyoka jumped the OKA negotiations to enthrone himself as the flag bearer.  Before a gathering of predominantly some Lower Eastern Kenya residents, he declared that he will seek the presidency until the finishing tape. That declaration has all but put the last nail on OKA's coffin. 

Prof Kibwana

Kalonzo Musyoka

 Kalonzo was ostensibly also endorsed by the region's clergy, or so he said. It is however sad to note that the Ukambani Christian Leaders' Forum was not represented. The three key regional Elders' Councils were not in attendance. Both these two groups- clergy & elders- form the Akamba Leaders Forum (APEX). Last time they called him and other regional leaders to a meeting, he chose not to attend. SUPKEM was also not represented. 

 The vote basket of Ukambani stands between 1.6 million to 2 million and possibly with the diaspora vote and more votes from further voter registration the figure of 2.5 million is a real possibility. To win the presidency, one must get support from other regions whose total registered voters in 2017 stood at 19, 611, 423 million. For Kalonzo to appear to be a serious candidate, he must demonstrate that he will marshal huge nationwide support- which demonstration is neither here nor there.

The Kamba community and other Kenyan communities are wiser now and will not be used by individuals who merely want to capture a section of their communities in the name of presidential candidature for subsequent auction. Normally, Kalonzo’s real or perceived reach gravitates around his region. When he ventures out on his own, the crowds are unfortunately lean. 

 Kalonzo has been riding on a myth currently created that he enjoys massive support in Lower Eastern Kenya as he did during the NASA times when many leaders from the region supported NASA. Further, due to continuous state support, the region had come to believe he is the gateway to national goodies. Recent by-elections in Kitui and Makueni have shown that Wiper is a weak party. Even in Machakos, a Wiper Senator won after the Chap Chap candidate was prevailed upon to stand down. His invincibility is being incrementally unmasked.

 In the Yatta meeting Kalonzo claimed that three Ukambani governors stood on his shoulders to gain electoral positions! It is dumbfounding to imagine that he believes he is the sole voter in the region and the population of other 5 million voters is of no consequence. However, in 2013 I was elected under Muungano Party. In 2017 Governor Charity Ngilu was elected through NARC and Governor Alfred Mutua through Maendeleo Chap Chap even as Kalonzo fielded candidates in the two counties who actually rode on his shoulders. In 2017 Kalonzo had to plead with the people of Makueni to allow me to support Wiper and NASA. They called him for negotiations to a meeting at a place called Kambu, in Kibwezi East. In 2017 I helped NASA in Makueni to win decisively. Jubilee was not able to secure any seat as it did in Kalonzo’s Kitui and neighboring Machakos. As a negotiator I helped him to gain the Deputy President slot against Musalia Mudavadi, a gentleman and worthy presidential candidate. Kalonzo has not shown appreciation for the political work that people do for him. As a former chairman of his party, I stood in his place when he had to attend to his spouse’s treatment abroad.

 Moreover, Kalonzo has over time antagonized key regional leaders such as Johnson Muthama, David Musila, Governor Mutua, Mutua Katuku,  Mrs. Ngilu and myself. His casualties are many. In 2016 I helped to bring some leaders back to support NASA. Unfortunately, those who know him appreciate he is not a unifying, but a very divisive factor- whether in his region, OKA or elsewhere. In 2017 he used to say that the State could not accept Raila Odinga to win while he was his deputy. 

 Even before the Yatta meeting, Kalonzo told some of his inner circle whom we used to work together in the Think Tank that he will be a presidential candidate even if his community remains outside government for 20 years. Already 10 are gone.  He hopes to create a Wiper ' Wave' in Ukambani so he can hoodwink the community and get MPs/ governors, MCAs to use to bargain for himself in the next dispensation. 

 Kalonzo's under-belly is that he cannot show tangible development to his credit from 1985 for almost FOUR DECADES of public service. Whenever this plain fact is mentioned, he goes livid just like his ardent supporters. Even as a Vice President there isn't much to show. On the whole he prefers to recruit leaders who don't question him, extreme loyalists. Since 2004 when Mzee Mulu Mutisya passed on and Kalonzo was informally declared as de facto leader of the community, the crop and quality of leadership has continually deteriorated. He has often been accused of annihilating visionary and development oriented political leaders as well as regional civil servants and key business people who have a capacity to stand up to him now or in the future. On the whole Kalonzo has been unwilling or incapable of LOBBYING for his community at national level. In most spheres, the community representation in the public space has deteriorated substantially. 

 At the Yatta meeting, Kalonzo talked of other presidential candidates having occasioned strife in the past and that he is the man of peace and true safe pair of hands. If in 2007 Kalonzo had supported Mzee Mwai Kibaki or Raila, there would have been a decisive win either way. We would most likely have avoided the blood bath. His "KUPITIA KATIKATI" policy became a very personal and expensive stance for the country.

 Given that Kalonzo has done some diplomacy and peace work abroad, why is he unable to be a uniting factor in his region?  Does he gain from a divided region? 

 In presenting himself as a presidential candidate who cannot win but may garner some votes from Lower Eastern, he wishes to attack a former Raila stronghold. If the strategy is successful, William Ruto stands to benefit. Knowingly or unknowingly Kalonzo would have helped a candidate he could later work with. I guess that is Kenyan politics of intrigue. 

 In Lower Eastern the residents have begun to understand who the real Kalonzo is. People are tired of being used and others dumped or reused. They believe his presidential bid may be a blessing in disguise. Although he said he is God's candidate, God may be planning to retire him from the region's political environment. The Bible says God's ways are truly mysterious.

 Professor Kivutha Kibwana is the Governor of Makueni currently serving his second and last term.

  

IEBC launches final voter registration

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission has today launched a mass voter enrollment exercise. A message from IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati

Woman kills 2 daughters then commits siicide

By Vincent Matheka

A 29 -year old woman today committed suicide after  killing her two daughters, leaving a village in shock.

The incident happened in Katitika village, Gituamba sub location in Ithanga, Murang'a County.

The suicide note

Ithanga Subcounty Police boss John Ogolla has  divulged that the woman who is a spouse of Kenya Defence Officer based in Kiunga,Lamu was found having locked herself in a room and hanged herself after poisoning the girls with a pesticides.

The woman had left a suicide note citing marital challenges as the cause of the inhumane act.

The note contained a list of women she alluded to be her tormentors and PIN numbers to help her spouse access nearly Kes. 200,000 in her account.

Snake disrupts Kalonzo meeting

By Terry Nzau 

A reptile  momentarily stamped its authority when it caused pandemonium at the Yatta home of former Vice President Kalonzo Musyoka.

The gathering of politicians organized by  the Wiper Party leader and 2022 presidential aspirant Kalonzo Musyoka at  the  farm house in Machakos County, saw the leaders run helter skelter to avoid the snake.

The special reptile guest appeared uninvited and slithered menacingly until a man wearing Wiper colours confronted it caught it by his right hand and walked away with it as it wagged its tail.

The snake appeared when the crowd had already settled and guests had to scamper for safety, with a few brave ones rattling the reptile which slithered into the tent at 12 noon.

Those in the meeting confirmed that at the time of the unexpected, the chief guest, Kalonzo Musyoka hadn’t arrived at the venue. 

“The snake was big in size,” eyewitnesses said.

The snake was later smashed with a stone be enraged Party functionaries .

One of the attendees of the event, thereafter, took its remains to an unknown place.

Musyoka met Ukambani leaders, pooled from politics and the business community, who are allied to him.

The purpose of the meeting was to strategically position Wiper and chart the way forward ahead of the August 9 General Election.

The meeting, however, continued after the snake scare.

High fuel prices to persist, says EPRA

By Martin Masai

PREVAILING High fuel prices will remain unchanged for the next one month, the industry regulator announced today.

A Notice by the Energy, Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) said petrol, diesel and kerosene will retail in the current prices till February 14,2022.

EPRA said the decision is in

accordance with Section 101(y) of the Petroleum Act 2019, Legal Notice No.196 of 2010 and Legal Notice No. 26 of 2012.

EPRA Kenya has calculated the maximum retail prices of petroleum products which will be in force from 15th January 2022 to 14th February 2022.

The prices are inclusive of the 8 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) in line with the provisions of the Finance Act 2018, the Tax Laws (Amendment) Act 2020 and the revised rates for excise duty adjusted for inflation as per Legal Notice No. 194 of 2020. 

Governors Mount pressure on Kalonzo

By Martin Masai

Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua and his Makueni counterpart Kivutha Kibwana today presided over a meeting that resolved to mobilize ukambani region into playing a significant role in national politics.

The leaders played down a perception that the meeting was aimed at scuttling another one scheduled on January 15 at the home of Wiper party leader Kalonzo Musyoka. 

Governor Mutua and Kibwana acknowledge
 greetings as they entered the meeting venue

However analysts see the meeting as a local effort to pile pressure on Kalonzo to abandon his quest for the Presidency and support former Prime Minister Raila Odinga's final stab for the seat.

Even then, the leaders called for a meeting to be held at a neutral ground to deliberate on the fate of ukambani in the National discourse.

Kitui Governor Charity Ngilu send apologies through Prof Kibwana.

The following is the full communique issued after the meeting held at the Machakos International Convention Centre. 

"Leaders drawn from Machakos, Makueni and Kitui Counties have met 

today at the Machakos International Convention Centre for a 

consultative leaders meeting. The meeting called by Governors Kivutha 

Kibwana, Dr. Alfred N. Mutua and H.E. Charity Ngilu has deliberated on 

various issues and resolved as follows:

1) That it is imperative that a representative of South/Lower Eastern

region leads Kenya or the community is a KEY part of the next

national government.

2) That the Akamba community has over 2 million votes and going 

forward we shall not agree to be taken for granted.

3) That all political players and political parties present in the region 

including NARC, MCC, WIPER, Muungano and others must mobilize 

to ensure the above over- aching objective is achieved despite their 

competition.

4) That overall, the developmental interests of the community must come

first before the personal interests of any leader. The people want 

development that rolls back poverty and not merely BIG POSITIONS 

for a few individuals.

5) That the three Governors are tasked to offer political direction that 

includes whether to support one of our own for the Presidency, or join 

hands with H.E. Raila Odinga and AZIMIO or any other progressive coalition. 

) That we will mobilize our community to receive Covid-19 vaccination 

and to observe Covid protocols to reduce illness and death.

7) That the three Governors will lead a massive voter registration 

exercise at the grassroots which will also double as consultative 

meetings on the preferred political direction.

8) That we shall request our community elders and religious leaders to

convene a meeting to bring together the different and even competing 

political players, at a neutral venue, to concretize our approach 

informed by the views of wananchi collected at the grassroots latest by 

end of February, 2022.

Wednesday, 12th January, 2022

Woman charged with fraud

By Mwende Kyalo

A woman was today charged with knowingly defrauding another woman Ksh 1,700,000. She is alleged to have defrauded Lucy Chege by pretending to be able to help her invest in an online trade where Chege would earn a 20 percent  monthly interest on the amount.

Ms Jane Karuri

Appearing before Milimani Law Courts magistrate Bernard Ochoi,  Jane Karuri pleaded not guilty and was released on a bond of Ksh 1,000,000 or a cash bail of Ksh 500,000

The offence was allegedly committed on diverse dates between January 10, 2020 and March 11, 2020, in Nairobi City.

The case will be mentioned on January 25, 2021

Man who conned Police boss nabbed

By Sharon Mwende

A prime suspect who defrauded Kasarani Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Peter Mwanzo Ksh600,000 will remain in custody for eight days.

The crime was committed through SIM swapping.

The suspect only ominously identified as Gideon Mark was arrested on January 8,2022 at Bomet county.

He was arraigned before Milimani Senior Principal Magistrate Ms Wandia Nyamu but was not charged with any offence after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations sought to have him detained to enable investigators complete their work.

According to detectives, it is alleged that the suspect executed the crime on diverse dates between January 4 and 5 this year with help of some staff at Safaricom by unlawfully swapping Mr Mwanzo's Safaricom line and using it to fraudulently transfer Sh 600,000 from his Equity Bank account.

The suspect is said to have conned the Kasarani OCPD pretending to be an agent of Safaricom. The suspect is alleged to have called the OCPD several times using a private number only to defraud him of his funds at Equity Bank account after obtaining his private information.

In an affidavit filed in court by the DCI through Corporal Kapario Lekakeny, DCI sought to be allowed to continue holding Mark,saying the investigations into the case involves weighty issues which require ample time as police are expected to travel to Bomet where they intend to make recoveries of the money.

The court heard that Mark is believed to belong to a syndicate roperating from Mulot within Bomet County that is defrauding members of the public using mobile money platforms.

"The suspect was arrested with the help of the service provider being the person who has been using  the Airtel and Safaricom line that received the money, however the money was not recovered and the investigators require adequate time to travel to parts of Bomet with the help of the suspect with the aim  of making recoveries," the detective informed the court.

Investigations reveal that Mark and his accompliances have turned Mulot into one of the hotspots of mobile phone fraud in the country.

The detective told the court that during the course of their investigations, assorted Sim cards and phones were recovered from the suspect which they require more time to extract information from to enable them arrive at the ideal charges to prefer against the suspect.

"That the DCI would rely on Mark to assist in identifying members of his syndicate who are all using subscribers' numbers registered with other people's national identity cards to disguise their identities," the officer stated.

During interrogation the suspect revealed that he is a member of the sim swap syndicate in Mulot in Bomet county which is known as "Confirmed" which has been swindling members of the public million of shilling through hacking their emails and mobiles number of Safaricom and Airtel. 

Police are also tracking down officials from the two giant mobile service providers (Safaricom and Airtel) who have been colluding with the scammers to siphon money from the members of the public. 

According to police, Mark told investigators that they target the elderly by hacking their emails and phone numbers which enable them to access all their private information and then use it to wipe out the victims' M-Pesa and bank accounts of all cash.

Police further claim that the suspect has since disclosed that in Bomet the syndicate buys the registered numbers at Sh 200 which they use to defraud their victims. The numbers are said to have been registered using Identity cards of the dead or lost ID cards. 

Sim-swapping is a form of fraud in which scammers manipulate unsuspecting mobile phone users to divulge their confidential information.

The scammers then use this information to replace the sim cards without the owners' knowledge, with the new cards then used to wipe out the clients' M-Pesa and bank accounts of all cash.

Rebel AIC Churches return to the fold

By Samson Mutua

OVER 20 rebellious AIC churches have returned to the mainstream Church.

AIC Machakos Area Bishop Philip Muia
welcomes rebel clergymen at AIC Mbaikini

The churches based in Mwala Subcounty broke away from AIC Kenya more than 10 years ago

They re-united after abandoning the separatist African Inland Church headed by Reverend Mbuvi. During the reunion, two suspended  clergymen-  Benjamin Musyoki and Elijah Musyoki  saw their  practicing licenses restored.

In a colourful thanksgiving service held at AIC Mbaikini and presided over by the Machakos Area Bishop Dr Philip Muia, flanked by pastor Benjamin Musyoki who led the sprinter faction, the prelates preached reconciliation in the church.

"Church unity is  symbolic of the body of  Jesus Christ our Lord.It is a great day to oversee and witness the greatness of this new dawn in our church and our congregants ", said Bishop Muia who represented the AIC-Kenya Presiding Bishop Abraham Mulwa.