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Talk of Town: Ego wars at roads body stall operations, randy minister at it again
Whispers from inside one of the national road agencies paint a grim picture of a turf war at the very top.
Agency boss living on borrowed time
The head of a state agency is said to be a worried man following recent pronouncements by an opposition figure regarding his non-performance. Talk of the Town has learnt that the powers-that-be are building a case against him with the intention of kicking him out for being a “weak link” even after using the man to wiggle out of some political situations. Out of desperation, the agency head was recently moving from office to office to save his career. He has also hired a team of bloggers to ensure he “shines” on social media. Sometimes, he even takes credit for projects by other State agencies.
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Deep pockets, but with short hands
A seasoned MP from the western region recently found himself red-faced after an aide to a senior government official flatly rejected his Sh50,000 harambee contribution, dismissing it as unworthy of his political stature. The legislator, who has a reputation for being notoriously tight-fisted and rarely seen at fundraisers, was left mumbling excuses, pleading that it was all he could afford at the moment. Insiders say the MP may have been set up by disgruntled colleagues. Allegedly, he had solicited hefty kickbacks from the head of a government agency grappling with serious audit queries, promising favourable committee recommendations in return. When the agency head delivered the money, the MP is said to have pocketed the entire sum without sharing it.
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Swindler pastor meets his match
A Central Kenya pastor is currently locked in a standoff with a software developer over the creation of a programme designed to end up as a Ponzi scheme. A little bird whispered to us that the pastor, who is also linked to a broadcast channel, wants a system created that can give bumper returns in the name of forex trading at the beginning. With “assured” earnings initially, it will attract thousands of people before it crashes as the investors await a return after committing handsome sums. We are told that the developer has flatly refused to take part in this while the pastor is using all manner of strategies, including threats, to have the system set up.
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Ego wars at roads body stall operations
Whispers from inside one of the national road agencies paint a grim picture of a turf war at the very top. Staff fear that the bad blood between two senior officials is fast spiralling out of control — with the fallout now stalling critical operations. Insiders murmur that contractors, once assured of timely payments, are now caught in the crossfire as the warring bosses play chess with public service.
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Rigged auction that could drown boss
A state agency is under fire over the controversial sale of a multimillion-shilling state of the art vehicle, now linked to alleged bid-rigging and powerful connections. The luxury car, first listed for auction in February, saw its sale mired in sudden cancellations, opaque manoeuvers, and favouritism. Although the highest bidder was declared the legal purchaser in June, the agency allegedly frustrated the process while favouring a rival bidder said to front for an Indian tycoon. Shockingly, the losing bidder now claims to hold the keys despite ongoing court orders, sparking outrage over sabotage of judicial authority.
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Randy minister at it again
A Cabinet Secretary has sparked controversy for allegedly wrecking the marriage of one of his staff. This is after a female staffer reportedly abandoned her matrimonial home and moved into a secret apartment that she shares with the CS. Sources say the woman was happily married until the CS’s appointment, a move that her estranged husband claims the CS exploited to lure his wife away. Once known for fondly speaking about her husband, the woman now openly appears in public alongside the CS, often arriving and leaving official events in his government vehicle. Meanwhile, rumour has it that the minister’s “official” wife is plotting a dramatic showdown at his office.
