Kenyans have over the past few weeks been treated to a spectacle. Though unofficial, the war against corruption has been used to target those that don’t support the agenda of the President. In fact, one person has already paid the ultimate price.
Former Kiambu County Governor Ferdinand Waititu was impeached for corruption. That doesn’t mean that other governors are better off.
Panic has passed over some of them for the above reasons of impeachment and as such apart from Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, another one, who has been accused of taking part in a murder and embezzling County funds is now at risk of losing his seat and that’s why he is not sitting pretty.
Migori Governor Okoth Obado is a troubled man
It is said that during the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) rally in Kitui, he had fervently sought the audience of Uhuru Kenyatta’s new partner in government Raila Odinga so as to cleanse him of his sins.
The Atonement
Gov Obado was not alone, few other politicians who have been in trouble in the past have found solace after touching the magic hands of Raila Odinga.
Governor Sonko whose woes were too much and everyone was convinced that he was not going to escape impeachment has over the past few days after meeting Odinga, been able to unshackle some of his burdens. The Asset Recovery Agency (ARA) was immediately ordered to unfreeze his accounts, he was allowed to ‘manage’ though not publicly some functions of the county, he is even asking to be allowed to go to Abu Dhabi, and it seems like he is on his way to becoming as white as snow.
Same can be said of Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru of the NYS theft cases.
ALSO READ: How Governor Okoth Obado And PA killed Sharon, How A Journalist Cheated Death
Going back to Gov Obado.
The then mysterious death of Sharon Otieno where Governor Obado’s phone was located at the scene of occurence. This saw him arrested and spend many days at industrial area police station before he was granted a Sh5 million cash bail.
While that was happening, the EACC was on his kneck over theft of county funds meant for development. This culminated in freezing of accounts belonging to him and his proxies.
It was in that period that EACC also learnt that he built his sh100 million home, sent Sh1.9 million to his daughter Susan at the University of Aberdeen in December 2014 through Mr Kwaga, sent another Sh12.2 million to his son Dan Achola Okoth who was then doing his masters in Sydney, Australia in 2016, sent Sh2.2 million to his county secretary, Rusana’s, bank account. The total amount he is accused of embezzling between 2013-2017 is sh2.5 billion.
Obado fears that Sharon’s case will haunt him past office and even see him jailed and as such sought Raila’s cleansing powers. What everyone should note is that the Governor was a DP Ruto person and was not supporting BBI. However, now he is forcing himself to support it so as to escape Uhuru Kenyatta’s sword that is cutting down all his opponents.
The former teacher is even desperate to have enlisted the services of Uriri Member of National Assembly (MP) Mark Nyamita to lie to the courts that he was with him in Nairobi on the day that Sharon was murdered.
Sources privy with the matter say that the MP was paid handsomely to lie to police.
Gov Obado’s were heard boasting that Raila will be paid and that will be the end of their murder and corruption cases.
According to detectives, Obado’s phone was at the scene of the murder but Uriri MP wants to say otherwise. Uriri MP is a known crook who swindled money at the Telco Airtel. His constituents report that he has looted Constituency Development Fund (CDF) and invests in buildings.
It even appears that state witnesses were paid to decline to witness in the case.
Money Trail
The Governor used his kids to hide looted cash in accounts abroad.
They did not invest any of the monies except for a mall near Bee centre, some few apartments in Nairobi’s posh areas, landcruizers, large tracks of land in Migori County and a home.
‘Gavana ataachiliwa, so unajua ukisifu BBI, hivyo ndio kuenda. Hata hivyo najua kwa ukweli ameshanunua freedom. Kesi aiendi mahali’, said a source close to the governor.
“With money, all your sins however red they are will be cleansed and be white as snow” is a rising philosophy that the corrupt cartels are using to have them let off the hook.
The corrupt and murders coined this phrase immediately President Uhuru Kenyatta switched off his other line cartel used to access him.
In late August, President Uhuru warned senior government officials and businessmen implicated in corruption not to expect help or intervention from him.
The President said people arrested over corruption should not bother calling him when the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji and his Directorate of Criminal Investigations counterpart George Kinoti strike.
“You will just read in the newspapers that someone has been picked up by detectives. It is upon everyone to think over their actions. The culture of calling for help is no more, it will be upon you to defend yourself,” the President said.
Mike Sonko seems now ‘acquited’ as his accounts are unfrozen, county Workers Union giving him clean bill of health, he has been allowed to fire and appoint officers, his Voi police assault case where Coast Regional Police Commander Rashid Yakub mysteriously withdrew the case days later.
On Obado, because of the huge amounts he is planning to give to Raila and family for cleansing, he has already been assured of the regional leadership as is put in the BBI.
He has instructed his guys to start campaigning towards that.
With Obado people boasting, it seems like he will also soon walk away free; mweupe kama pamba.
MORE:
Troubled Migori Governor Obado Seeks Raila’s Audience For Cleansing Over His Woes
