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Talk of Town: MP in the soup as supporters attack church, CS, MP clash after Gen Z riots aborted
Parliament Buildings in Nairobi County on August 8, 2024.
Questions as official sets up website
Why has a top government official opted to set up a personal website to document his official functions? That is the debate some government-friendly communication experts were having recently as they scrolled through the site. The big man, who has control of the ministry’s official website and a fully-fledged communication team besides being in a position to influence coverage in State-controlled media, has apparently decided that tooting his own horn is the best strategy as he believes he is not getting enough attention. Whether or not this strategy will work is the question.
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Land officer under probe over fraud
A senior Ministry of Lands official is fighting for his career and reputation after being linked to a string of fraudulent transactions across two counties. The official is under investigation for allegedly using his position to facilitate the irregular sale of prime parcels of land. Sources familiar with the matter say the cases under probe include dubious transfers, raising concerns about a possible wider network of fraud within the ministry. Investigators are said to be combing through records to establish how the official approved transactions that dispossessed rightful owners of property.
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MP in soup as supporters attack church
An MP from one of the parties that joined Azimio la Umoja in 2022 before defecting to Kenya Kwanza after the last election is embroiled in controversy after his supporters vandalised a church. The lawmaker, who is positioning himself to unseat his county’s governor in 2027, is accused of orchestrating the uprooting of the roof of a church whose construction he had contributed towards. The dramatic act reportedly followed the governor’s recent appearance at the same church, where he was invited to lead a fundraiser to complete the sanctuary.
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AP officers fury as boss fails to retire
A storm is brewing within the Administration Police in Western Kenya, as officers question how a senior county boss secured a five-year extension despite hitting the mandatory retirement age. The extension, granted under unclear circumstances, has rattled younger officers who had been eyeing succession and are now accusing the boss of clinging to power through questionable means. Some allege the officer may have exploited connections to prolong his stay, locking out more energetic personnel from advancing in ranks. This has sparked murmurs of favouritism.
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CS, MP clash after Gen Z riots aborted
A Cabinet Secretary who took office in the wake of last year’s Gen Z protests is reportedly fuming after a political deal with an MP from his county collapsed dramatically. The CS is said to have released hefty sums of money to the lawmaker to mobilise demonstrations against their county governor, only for the protests to be abandoned at the last minute. Insiders claim the aborted plan has left the minister feeling betrayed and politically exposed, with questions swirling over where the money went. The fallout has heightened tensions in the county’s political landscape.
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CS vows to topple party boss in 2027
Still on the Cabinet Secretaries, another one finds himself walking a political tightrope. The CS is said to have privately told allies that he is ready to confront his party boss head-on if he fails to take a “favourable political stand” ahead of the 2027 polls. Insiders claim the CS now sees himself as a rising force unwilling to play second fiddle. His veiled threats have stirred unease within party ranks, with whispers of a looming showdown that could lead to casualties. For many, it’s no longer a question of if but when the clash between the ambitious CS and his boss erupts.
