President Uhuru Kenyatta shares a meal with Kajiado South MP Katoo ole
Metito in Mbirikani, Kajiado County, on June 26, 2015. He visited the
area for the ordination of the Iltuati Age Group leader. PHOTO | PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta is facing a dilemma in addressing the corruption allegations facing two of his pillars of support.
While
five ministers are on suspension for alleged corruption, the claims
against Deputy President William Ruto and Devolution Cabinet Secretary
Anne Waiguru are presenting him with the greatest challenge so far.
How
he handles the allegations against the two will either inject momentum
into his crusade against corruption in government or hamper the efforts.
Mr Ruto has admitted owning Weston Hotel, which is said to sit on public land that was illegally acquired from the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority.
President
Kenyatta cannot take action against Mr Ruto without upsetting the
populous Rift Valley, whose votes he needs for a second term.
Any
move against Mr Ruto would also open a Pandora’s box of all the stolen
public land documented in the Ndung’u and the Truth, Justice and
Reconciliation reports.
But if he does nothing, his
anti-corruption credentials, which he had established through the bold
decision of asking ministers named in a corruption report to step aside
two months ago, could be dented.
Ms Waiguru’s case also
presents a difficult political challenge given the apparent rebellion
in President Kenyatta’s central Kenya strongholds over the removal of
officials from the region.
The CS has come under
pressure to step aside as a number of officials in her ministry are
being investigated over an alleged attempt to steal Sh826 million from
the National Youth Service (NYS).
Ms Waiguru, whose
docket has one of the biggest budget votes, has denied that any money
was lost. She said that she blew the whistle by inviting the Directorate
of Criminal Investigations to look into the matter.
'SHADOWY COMPANIES'
The Opposition, however, insists that President Kenyatta is protecting Ms Waiguru and that he should suspend her.
“What
is in question is the very shady, murky and extremely unethical
procurement procedures at the Ministry of Devolution’s NYS projects,
where beans, ndengu, sugar, rice and milk, among other things,
are being supplied at inflated prices by shadowy companies, some of
which are linked to senior officials in government,” Cord leader Raila
Odinga said in a statement on Thursday.
Mr Odinga said
there appeared to be two sets of laws governing the war on corruption
and that some suspects get presidential protection while others are left
on their own.
President Kenyatta has come out
strongly in support of Ms Waiguru but he has remained silent over the
Ruto affair despite pressure from the Opposition and civil society to
act.
On Wednesday, the President, speaking in Mumias,
dismissed individuals criticising Ms Waiguru, saying the NYS projects
she was implementing were improving the lives of the youth.
A
day later, his spokesman, Mr Manoah Esipisu, called a press conference
at State House at which he said the NYS investigations had been twisted
to meet certain political ends.
The youth projects have
emerged as a key plank in the President’s re-election strategy and this
may also explain why he is fighting hard to defend them.
It
is to be noted that they are mostly being implemented in Kibera,
Nairobi, and Kisumu, which are the strongholds of his rival, Mr Odinga.
At
the same time, Senate Majority Leader Kithure Kindiki said while
President Kenyatta’s forays in the country will bear political capital,
the bigger take-home is that he has set the bar of the presidency very
high by living true to its role.
“His message has been: You shouldn’t be punished for your political decision; it is your right.”
Ugunja MP Opiyo Wandayi told the Saturday Nation that his attempts to have the issue about Ms Waiguru discussed in Parliament was thwarted by Majority Leader Aden Duale.
ANSWER QUESTIONS
Instead,
the minister would be invited before a House committee to answer
questions when she comes back from Colombia, where she is on an official
visit.
President Kenyatta’s defence of Ms Waiguru
while other suspended Cabinet secretaries are still in the cold has
rubbed some political players the wrong way. They described it as a
tactical error.
Igembe North MP Joseph M’Eruaki said:
“The President is watching as his pillars in government are being
drowned. He left Charity Ngilu (Lands) and Michael Kamau (Roads) to
their own devices yet they are hardworking. All that has been said
against Cabinet secretaries are allegations. No concrete evidence has
been adduced.”
The case of Mrs Ngilu also presents a unique dilemma due to its political ramifications in Ukambani.
If
Mrs Ngilu is found culpable and is forced out, the political landscape
in lower eastern Kenya could dramatically change. Already, Wiper leader
Kalonzo Musyoka, a political nemesis of the suspended minister, has been
commiserating with her, including escorting her to court.
The
rejection of Ms Monica Juma by President Kenyatta’s allies only
compounds the political arithmetic as Mrs Ngilu and Ms Juma are from the
same region.
Back home, Mr Kenyatta has also been
jolted by the rare rebellion from local MPs, who accuse him of removing
people from central Kenya from the government and replacing them with
those from outside the region.
The MPs were referring
to former Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia from Nyandarua
County, Interior Principal Secretary Mutea Iringo from Meru County and
Mr Kamau from Nyeri County.
Their stand may also help
explain the President’s defence of Ms Waiguru because he cannot move
against another big fish from central Kenya after Mr Kamau, Mr Iringo
and Mr Kimemia were edged out of government.
On Friday, the MPs dug in, insisting their opposition was meant to help the President.
“We
have approved 99 per cent of what the President has brought to
Parliament. When we say this one is wrong, we should be listened to
because we are doing it in good faith,” said Kandara MP Alice Wahome.
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