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Talk of town: Governor under fire over billions spent on North African mansion
Residents are planning to report their governor to the Auditor-General after it emerged he spent billions on a North African home while county services remain in shambles.
Why North Africa house is raising eyebrows
A governor from Nyanza has become the subject of gossip after it emerged that the county chief has built a “serious” home in a North African country. Locals fear that the home was built using resources plundered from the county coffers. Despite poor services and ill-equipped health facilities in the county, residents are wondering why their governor would spend billions on building a faraway home. As the situation evolves, there are advanced plans to report the matter to investigative agencies and the Auditor-General to not only establish the source of funds, but also give a scorecard on the value for money that the county has received since the inception of devolution.
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Officer accused of ‘managing’ graft cases
A senior State officer has been fingered as the major hindrance to the fight against corruption as sensitive files have been disappearing without a trace. Sources say the powerful official runs an office where sensitive files can move slowly or disappear altogether. A little bird says that decisions on the progression of files are made on a “highest bidder” basis. In addition, there is a quiet but significant shift in strategy after months of frustration by the individual. One of the agencies last week told key stakeholders that they will now be focusing on recovering stolen resources without going through the officer.
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Rogue administrator terrorising juniors
A storm is brewing in Nyanza over a deputy county commissioner accused of turning public administration into a reign of fear, intimidation and extortion. Local chiefs and their assistants are said to be operating under constant threats, with the officer allegedly issuing frequent show-cause letters and threatening to sack his juniors. Even more troubling are allegations linking him to a protection racket around gold mining sites and suspected drug dens in the region. There are also claims of erratic behaviour tied to substance abuse. Local leaders and residents now want the Ministry of Interior to urgently intervene before the crisis deepens.
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CS’s dilemma over governor’s seat
A Cabinet Secretary is in a catch-22 over how to approach the 2027 General Election. While some of his supporters want him to resign and hit the ground running to campaign for the governorship post, others are piling pressure on him to stay put. At the centre of the dilemma is that the man is likely not to be retained in his current ministry should the Kenya Kwanza administration get a second term. He also fears being moved to a “less lucrative” ministry. Powerful forces around the appointing authority whisper that the man has, so far, not impressed; that every time he appears in the media or while facing MPs, his performance is below par.
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Key ally deserts former minister
Still on Cabinet secretaries, the grapevine has it that an aide of a former CS is avoiding the ex-minister, who is his boss, due to his latest political stand. That aide, Talk of the Town has learnt, recently switched off his phone and made himself inaccessible because he does not want any pictures of them taken publicly. According to the aide, the political direction taken by his boss risks putting him in trouble with the government.
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Supporters flee over fears of ‘losing’ goodies
Supporters of a political honcho are already looking for an alternative means of survival in the next government, fearing that their boss is likely to be sidelined if the current administration secures a second term in office. The supporters have expressed fear that since their boss has refused to toe the line, chances of clinching a lucrative position in the next government remain slim. The supporters have unsuccessfully been trying to reach out to lawmakers close to their boss to change his position for the sake of the goodies they have been receiving.
