Wandayi playing favourites with our resources

The Kenya Kwanza administration’s deliberate focus on pampering Raila Odinga’s backyard with resources will undoubtedly come at a cost, as other parts of the country look on with growing indignation.

In the past month, President William Ruto has made several trips to Raila Odinga’s stronghold, an unprecedented move that has sparked feelings of jealousy in other regions.

If this trend is not addressed swiftly, the president may face immense pressure from regions that provided him with substantial votes during his ascent to power. Many Kenyans are beginning to question the need for budget allocations under these circumstances.

Since August, including a recent trip where he was accompanied by Ugandan President Kaguta Museveni, Ruto has commissioned and launched projects worth millions of shillings.

He has also donated huge sums to various groups, including funding for stadiums that were not accounted for in annual budgets. His failure to clarify whether these allocations are personal or from national funds leaves many questions unanswered.

Adding to the controversy, his Energy Cabinet Secretary, Opiyo Wandayi, widely regarded as a Raila Odinga ally and expert appointed to the broad-based government, has openly prioritised his native Luo Nyanza counties.

Speaking in Siaya recently, Wandayi revealed that his ministry has allocated billions to his home region for electricity-related projects. At the event, he announced that out of the Sh12 billion sourced from the African Development Bank, Sh5.7 billion has been earmarked for power connectivity in the four Luo Nyanza counties.

According to Wandayi, Siaya will receive Sh1.3 billion, Kisumu Sh0.9 billion, Migori Sh1.75 billion, and Homa Bay Sh1.79 billion. This leaves the rest of the country to share the remaining half of the Sh12 billion.

The CS went on to state that on January 6, he had invited all Luo MPs to his office in Nairobi to discuss how his ministry could serve their constituencies. While the ministry operates on taxpayers’ money from all Kenyans, Wandayi’s public confirmation of bias in favour of his region is deeply troubling.

This revelation raises concerns about how the AfDB funds were sourced, whether the Cabinet approved this allocation, and when such decisions were made. Is this indicative of how ministers operate within the broad-based government?

While President Ruto has said that including opposition members in his Cabinet was intended to foster unity and nationhood, Wandayi’s actions suggest that communities with representation in the Cabinet enjoy more benefits than those without.

This will likely pressure other CSs to similarly favour their tribes at the expense of other regions, further alienating parts of the country. Such skewed allocations risk making President Ruto’s government increasingly unpopular, giving marginalised communities reason to rally against the administration in pursuit of power and resources.

Politicians like former Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i could capitalise on this apparent bias, rallying Kenyans longing for a nation free from tribal inclinations.

To Wandayi and the newly appointed CSs: Execute your duties as nationalists and experts, as you claimed to be when joining the Kenya Kwanza administration.

Meanwhile, Ruto should cancel the Sh12 billion AfDB funds allocation and review it to include other underserved regions. As the symbol of national unity, you must guide your CSs to serve the entire country, not just their backyards.

The writer is a media practitioner. [email protected]