Former CSs campaigning against President Kenyatta

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday, October 18 decried the political detriment that he is facing due to his apparent resilience in the fight against corruption.

In a direct attack on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) CEO, Halakhe Waqo, President Kenyatta said his steely stand against corruption, which saw him sack five Cabinet Secretaries among other government officials, has put him at loggerheads with some of his former CSs, who have taken to campaigning against him.

“You (Waqo) made me stand before Parliament and even sack my ministers some of who have taken to campaigning against me, and yet, two years later you have not told us who was innocent and who was guilty,” the President told Waqo.

Former CSs campaigning against Uhuru

Among those sacked over graft allegations included Francis Kimemia, who was then the Secretary to the Cabinet, former CSs Kazungu Kambi (Labour), Eng Michael Kamau (Transport), Davis Chirchir (Energy), Charitu Ngilu (Lands) and  Felix Koskei (Agriculture).

From the five former Cabinet Secretaries, only Ngilu has shown strong indications of joining the opposition Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD).

This woman Ngilu

Ngilu was accused of receiving a bribe to obstruct investigations into the Karen land saga and inflating the price of Waitiki land, which was bought by the government for the resettlement of squatters in Mombasa.

She has, however, defended herself over the claims, blaming some ‘powerful forces’ for pushing for her exit from the land docket owing to her sternness in dealing with land grabbing and corruption at Ardhi House.

Ngilu, who was a one-time presidential candidate (1997) and a long serving Kitui Central MP, has announced her interest in the Kitui governorship race, and is set to face off with the incumbent, Julius Malombe.

She had earlier indicated that she will be contesting for the seat on her National Alliance Rainbow Coalition (NARC) party ticket, and not CORD or Jubilee, a stand that is now clouded in uncertainty.

If she joins CORD, the former CS may have to face it off with Wiper chair, David Musila, to whom she lost the 2013 Kitui Senate race, or Malombe who is set to defend his seat.

Speaking at the funeral of Wavinya Ndeti’s husband in Machakos on Friday, October 14, 2016, Ngilu, who ditched Jubilee after her exit from government, said that she would wish to join the opposition CORD, but as co-principal and not just a member.

Kazungu Kambi

Kazungu Kambi has also reportedly ditched Jubilee for Kadu Asili – a party he is set to use to rival ODM’s Amason Kingi for the Kilifi governorship seat.

Kambi is accused of supporting the NSSF Tassia II project despite clear indications that the Board of Trustees did not approve the upward review of the project’ cost from Ksh 3 billion to Ksh 5 billion.

Despite being dropped from Cabinet, Kambi has, however, gained favour before President Kenyatta after he was appointed chairperson of the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF).