Ferdinand Waititu named water board chairman

By GEOFFREY MOSOKU and WILFRED AYAGA

KENYA: President Uhuru Kenyatta’s regime has appointed former Embakasi MP Ferdinand Waititu as the chairman of Athi Water Services Board.

He has replaced former Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo whose appointment has been revoked.

The former Embakasi MP contested the Nairobi gubernatorial seat on a TNA ticket but lost to ODM’s Evans Kidero in the March 4, 2013, General Election.

His appointment is contained in Gazette Notice No. 115 dated 10th January 10, 2014.  He will chair the board for a period of three years.

The notice was signed by Environment Cabinet Secretary Judy Wakhungu.

The appointment is a reprieve to Waititu who lost a petition seeking to nullify the election of Kidero and has been now been slapped with a legal bill of Sh50 million.

Long list

He joins the long list of politicians who lost in the last General Election but have been rewarded with state appointments.

They include former MPs Danson Mungatana (KPA), Samuel Poghisio (KCAA), Lucas Maitha (Kebs), Patrick Osero (AFC), Fred Kapondi (Post Bank) and Njeru Ndwiga (Tanathi Water Services board) who were appointed on New Year eve.

Politicians appointed earlier include former Marakwet East MP Linah Kilimo who will head the Anti-Female Genital Mutilation Board, former Kibwezi MP Agnes Ndetei, who will chair the National Drought Management Authority and Philip Kaloki to the Kenya Medical Training College Board.

The appointments have largely drawn criticism mainly from Jubilee supporters who feel betrayed after the President and his deputy William Ruto began rewarding poll losers and other allies.

Meanwhile, Waititu has lodged a fresh appeal to remove Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero from office.

Waititu has filed a memorandum of appeal seeking a fresh hearing to the application he filed last year challenging the election of Kidero.

Through lawyer Harrison Kinyanjui, Waititu has argued that there were serious constitutional anomalies in the court ruling made last year that sealed Kidero’s victory.

According to Waititu, the anomalies can only be addressed through a fresh hearing of the petition.

The hearing of the petition was set for January 14.