Talk of Town: MP slaps supporter for nagging him, State insider in lucrative tender saga
Parliament Buildings in Nairobi County on August 8, 2024.
‘Expert’ minister now under scrutiny
A Cabinet Secretary, who joined the executive as one of the ‘experts’, is a man whose every move is under scrutiny by a powerful office. No meeting or international trip is undertaken without the Principal Secretary or a senior official accompanying him. The PS is tasked with checkmating the CS and reporting every deal he signs to the top leadership. During a recent trip abroad, the government’s message was delivered by a senior official, despite the CS being present. There are concerns that if left unchecked, he might enter into serious business deals that serve his personal interests.
***
MP slaps supporter for nagging him
Just how hot is the ground for opposition lawmakers over the death of blogger Albert Ojwang’? A second-term MP recently slapped a supporter who confronted him with questions about what leaders from the region were doing to secure justice for Ojwang’s family. The lawmaker, targeted with abuse and ridicule, eventually lost his cool and lashed out. He was later overheard telling a colleague that while they’re pressuring the government for justice, public impatience is growing.
***
Big man communication team in trouble
The communication team of a strategic and powerful office has come under fire from their boss over poor performance. The big man is reportedly furious over sustained negative media coverage, despite maintaining a large and costly team funded by taxpayers. He is said to have rebuked them for focusing more on buying land than on fulfilling their core mandate. Concerns have been raised that, unlike during the 2022 campaigns, the officials no longer seem invested in shaping the boss’s public image.
***
County boss hires spouse of judicial officer
A first-term governor seems to have discovered a strategy for surviving a potential legal onslaught. The man recently enlisted the services of a senior lawyer as his advisor. What was not disclosed is that the lawyer is the spouse of a judicial officer. In addition to the lawyer, he has also brought on board the brother of a powerful official with influence in the corridors of justice to sit on the County Public Service Board. The move appears strategic, as the county chief was overheard saying that the two will ensure things do not go against him should any legal action be initiated.
***
State insider in lucrative tender saga
Did a powerful man close to the Executive double-cross two firms vying for a Sh6 billion tender? This has emerged after two foreign companies from rival Asian nations bid for the lucrative deal involving an agency overseeing a key agricultural entity. The man is said to have assured both firms that he would deliver, with each allegedly paying a “facilitation” fee. But when one was awarded the tender, he reportedly advised the losing firm to seek judicial redress. With the matter now in court, the agency is stuck - and fears are mounting that the season for using the inputs is fast approaching, leaving farmers at risk of being stranded.
***
Suspicious cargo backed by top officials
A Principal Secretary in a lucrative ministry and a senior official of a popular political outfit are on the radar of anti-graft investigators over a controversial consignment that landed in the country a few weeks ago.The consignment, worth billions of shillings and already declared substandard, is at the centre of a scandal despite earlier safety concerns raised by a key government agency.The two are said to have been instrumental in facilitating its shipment. They were shocked when a letter surfaced ordering the cargo to be returned to its country of origin - and have vowed to use their networks to ensure the goods enter the Kenyan market.