By Martin Masai
The final hours of the dismissed Machakos Chief of Staff Lawrence Ngovi can now be revealed.
Mr Ngovi
He reported to the second floor office at White House as usual. It was a day of great anticipation for him since he was coming face to face with Governor Wavinya Ndeti for the first time in over one month.
It would also be the first time for them to meet face to face after a noisy telephone conversation where the governor accused him of leaking crucial information. Ngovi, his escort, and driver did not know that it would be their last trip there.
A cabinet meeting - the first physical one in almost two months, had been scheduled, and vibrancy could be seen in the precincts of White House and tension was pulpable as staff kept peeping outside whenever a vehicle pulled into the foyer.
The governor arrived in good time for the meeting, escorted by her chase cars.
At 2 p.m., the meeting was called to order. A raft of deliberations and reports were tabled and discussed. As usual, the Chief of Staff sat throughout the meeting, occasionally exchanging salutations with ministers who had all this time concealed any indications of impending Dooms Day for Wavinya's disgraced Mr Fix It.
As business on agenda was being concluded, Ngovi had no idea that the cabinet room would turn to a slaughter house for him.
His matter was brought in under Any Other Business( AOB). It was introduced by the County Secretary Dr Muya Ndambuki, and it sounded like a casual discussion. It centred on conversations between Ngovi and other members of the county government.
It was alleged that Ngovi's discussions showed that he had become disloyal to the governor. Media reports on the governor's personal investments were cited as cases of sensitive leaked information that was portraying the governor in negative light. No evidence was tabled to link Ngovi to the alleged leaks.
Specifically, it was alleged that Ngovi once told the Chairman of the Public Service Board Urbanus Mutisya that he would not support Governor Wavinya in 2027.
A call was dramatically placed to Mr Mutisya by the governor and put on speaker. Mutisya was not warned that the cabinet was listening to him. He confirmed that he once had such a conversation with Ngovi.
Another claim came through the Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi to the effect that Ngovi allegedly promised the DG some Kes 200m to stand as governor in 2027 "because Wavinya stands no chance of winning any other election."
Sources told The Anchor that the issue of the demontrations in Mitaboni was raised. Ngovi is falsely claimed to have organised the protest revolving around the alleged incompetence of a Ward Administrator named Noor. It is alleged that the local MCA, who is a cousin to Ngovi, had incited locals to demonstrate to embarass the governor.
The issue of the employment of hundreds of new county staff across the government, mostly retirees, illiterate, and always absent from work, is a thorny issue and will certainly explode in the coming days. Watch this space.
Our sources say Ngovi was not given a chance to respond, even verbally. That Ngovi was given marching orders after a Kangaroo trial is a statement of impunity, arrogance and a don't care- kesi baadaye attitude, coming at a time that the country is restive about bad governance in the national government.
It creates a fertile ground for court action for unlawful, unfair action - his alleged sins notwithstanding, leading to waste of public resources.
Health Minister Daniel Yumbya, who arrived at the meeting at this stage,together with the DG, appeared keen to end the matter there, our sources say.
Yumbya then told Ngovi to leave the meeting to allow the cabinet to discuss the matter. Wavinya remained studiously quiet as her COS was led to golgotha. He rose, glanced at her as she avoided eyeballing him.
She did not intervene to even give her staff number 1 a chance to respond or even remain in the room to witness his own slaughter in the cabinet room.
As soon as Ngovi left, the cabinet resolved to abruptly end his tenure. Not a single soul among the governor's "wisemen" raised a voice on the need to grant Ngovi a fair hearing.
Dr. Ndambuki then left the room to execute the verdict. With support from staff at Wavinya's office, the CS, who is head of the County Public Service and is, in his own right a ex university don, swiftly drafted the dismissal letter, together with the press statement, announcing the kill.
The CS then withdrew Ngovi's official car and promptly stood down the aide and driver.
With Ngovi stripped to the chase,Dr. Ndambuki supervised as Ngovi packed his few belongings into a carton. Ngovi was never famous for keeping any reading materials in either the shelves or office drawers.
Cornered, Ngovi then made a first call to a friend to pick him up, who was not immediately available. With the urge to exit the 'valley of death', Ngovi made a second frantic call, and a friend pulled in shortly afterwards and drove him away.
Cabinet sources say the situation was tense as Ngovi exited White House for the last time.
Ngovi's cabinet friends watched as the well orchestrated drama unfolded. The meeting ended shortly after 4 pm.
Ngovi's dismissal was sealed with a National Red Alert that was circulated through police stations, notifying security agencies of the changes in the governor's office.
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