Raila Odinga accuses President Uhuru Kenyatta of shielding Anne Waiguru as raging corruption claims jolt Jubilee

CORD leader Raila Odinga during a Maasai cultural festival at the home of Judith Pareno, a member of the East African legislature, at Mashuru in Kajiado County. Raila was crowned a Maasai elder. [PHOTO: PETERSON GITHAIGA/STANDARD]

The war on corruption could frame the contest between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Opposition leader Raila Odinga ahead of the 2017 General Election.

Generally, there is a pervasive feeling in the public that corruption, though a feature of Kenya’s public service, has hit new heights under President Kenyatta’s watch.

The most recent point of conflict between President Kenyatta and Raila is the allegations of massive corruption at the National Youth Service (NYS), Jubilee’s unlikely pet project on tackling youth unemployment.

Raila has accused the Kenyatta of shielding Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru, whose ministry NYS falls under.

This comes on the back of suspension of five cabinet secretaries, several principal secretaries and heads of parastatals by the President in March over corruption allegations against them.

The Opposition also reads mischief in the increased militarisation of NYS. “These young men could be used to rig the next elections as APs (Administration Police officers) were used to rig the elections in 2007 by President Kibaki,” Rarieda MP Nicholas Gumbo claimed.

Gumbo further questioned the rationale for investing so much money in NYS instead of other more meaningful projects. “I don’t see how employing youth to clear trenches and drainages for a pittance will help them. This is simply a conduit to steal public money in the name of helping the youth,” he said.

However, Jubilee has defended the programme as being above board. Waiguru has defended herself against allegations of impropriety and said she was the first one to alert the Criminal Investigations Department about the fishy activities at NYS.

However, State House announced this week that President Kenyatta will not suspend Waiguru as he did with the others suspected of corruption, eliciting a feeling that the CS is favoured.

On the other hand, Jubilee is making determined moves to dismantle ODM’s support bases in in Coast and in western regions of the country.

This week President Kenyatta hosted Luhya MPs at State House Nairobi before travelling to Kakamega County to personally present a Sh1 billion cheque towards the revival of the troubled Mumias Sugar Factory.

Massive support

“While they are talking ill of us, we are doing marvelous things for Kenyans and they will reward us for that,” said Kieni MP Kanini Kega.

“Look at his so-called strongholds — Coast and Western — things are not easy for them. We are making significant in-roads and they are panicking. By 2017, we shall have completed the takeover of those regions,” he said.

Gatundu Souh MP Moses Kuria said the fight for these regions is as good as won. “The people have realised Raila has nothing to offer them in terms of development,” he said.

However, Nyatike MP Omondi Anyanga said CORD still enjoyed massive support in the two regions and it would be a herculean task for Jubilee to wrestle the two regions.

“That’s far from the truth,” he said, adding: “Jubilee leaders have the right to play any kind of politics they wish and visit any region. But all these should be done in the best interest of the public.”

He, however, said some MPs appeared hell-bent on blackmailing ODM but that did not mean CORD is losing ground. “If it is about reviving stalled factories, it is the right of the people who depend on these factories. They are taxpayers irrespective of their political affiliations. When the time for elections come, it will be a different ballgame altogether,” Anyanga told The Standard on Sunday.

Despite this bullish defence of turf by Western Kenya opposition leaders, the overture made by the executive to this region cannot go unnoticed.

The Mumias Sugar bailout has already caused friction between the perceived Western Kenya ODM block, with daggers already drawn following Ababu Namwamba’s coziness to the government.

Analysts say Namwamba might be Uhuru’s man in the grand scheme of chipping away at Raila’s block. His age and one time popularity may sway some voters to Jubilee’s side.

However, if forming part of the Jubilee foot-soldiers is the decision Namwamba has come to, he too might face a fate similar to that of Eugene Wamalwa, who traded in his political clout in his backyard for a cabinet position.

The curious case of Waiguru has also excited some passions in Deputy President William Ruto’s party. For the first time in a long while, a scandal bigger than all associated with the Deputy President has caught the imagination of the public, and party stalwarts are not about to let the NYS saga go.

Widespread graft

Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter has also lent his voice to the Waiguru-must-go brigade following the Sh800 million tender scandal. According to Keter, Waiguru should step aside and allow investigations into the Sh826 million attempted scam.

Speaking in Lessos town during the opening of a health facility, Keter noted that the national government loses hundreds of billions of shillings each year to widespread corruption in public service.

Ruto, who is Keter’s party leader, has defended the embattled CS over the graft allegations.

Two years to the general election, graft is already shaping up as a key campaign issue. Raila’s opposition has its ammunition, lining up members of the cabinet in a row, picking them out one by one on corruption charges.

To survive this onslaught, Uhuru and his handlers will need to do much more than offer half- hearted explanations. And ensure an end to graft once and for all.