MUDAVADI PETITIONED OVER US TRIP SCAM
Kanini Evans Kariuki
September 09, 2010
A shocking new scandal revolving around gross misuse of millions of shillings belonging to the taxpayers by a group of councillors, has sent shock waves in Eldoret town, while almost paralysing operations in the once-vibrant civic body that is headed by Mayor William Rono- an ally of the beleaguered Higher Education minister William Ruto.
Discontent, confusion and contempt for the errant civic leaders is high in the air, after it emerged that the gluttonous councillors who are all aligned to Ruto, squandered sh 5.5 million on an unnecessary trip to the US two weeks ago, where they flew with the full approval of the Mayor, visiting plush areas, wining and dining.
The lucky, go-happy councillors blew up the sh 5..5 million which was earmarked for the Eldoret town beautification program, much to the chagrin of the local residents who have threatened a demonstration in this farmers town, while vowing to kick out the corrupt councillors including Mayor Rono during the 2012 General elections.
The residents accused the councillors who visited the US with the council funds of stealing from them in broad-daylight.They petitioned the Local Government minister Musalia Mudavadi to intervene and save them from exploitation by the civic leaders and chief officers.
It also emerged that non-Kalenjin councillors chickened out of the US trip, after they were informed by the council authorities that they would have to pay from their pockets if they were to go for the trip.
Councillor Charles Omondi of the 64 Industrial ward was the only non-Kalenjin civic leader who went for the US trip after deciding to meet the travel expenses from his own pockets!
It was the height of sarcasm and callousness to the extreme, as councillor Omondi went spending his every cent on the basic needs in the US, as the Kalenjin councillors who have viewed the Eldoret municipal council as a cash cow, enjoyed every bit of the council funds during the trip, wallowing in luxury without spending any coin from their pockets.
What hypocrisy on the part of the greedy lot of councillors and Mayor Rono who, albeit remaining behind out of apparent fear of being accused of complicity in the glaring corruption in the council, monitored the events on a daily basis by cellphone from his base in Eldoret town?
And as protest over the shameful and wanton misuse of the council millions exploded into a crescendo this week, a group of councillors opposed to the councils policies and Mayor Rono's dictatorial tendencies, obstinacy and high-handedness, called a press briefing to condemn tribalism and corruption in the Eldoret municipality.
Led by Councillor Kiiru Chomba of Shauri Yako ward, the angry councillors dismissed the Eldoret municipal council as a den of sheer tribalism and choking graft.
They charged that non-Kalenjin councillors in the row-racked council were being discriminated against on the basis of tribe, as corruption in the civic authority reared its ugly head..
Other councillors who issued the statement jointly with council-or Chomba were: Werambo Ramadhan (who represents the Kidiwa / Kapsuswa ward, Francis Muya (Langas Ya Mumbi ward), Charles Omondi alias SP Omondi (64 Industrial ward), George Mbugua (Kapsoya / Munyaka ward) and nominated councillor Samuel Akama.
They, at the same time, accused Mayor Rono of being a Kibaraka (puppet) of influential power brokers outside the council who were being driven by an insatiable lust for power, riches and political supremacy.
Charging that the new scandal in the council had given it a bad name, the irate councillors exhorted the Local Government minister Musalia Mudavadi to intervene and use his broom to sweep corruption and tribalism out of the graft-ridden municipal council.
The councillors asserted that the Eldoret civic body was at a standstill.
They indicated that the council suffered from double embarrassment- first from the misuse of the funds, and secondly from the councillors glaring incapability to rise to the occasion as role models, even after visiting the US where they came face to face with America's concept of civilisation, respect for human rights and stupendous development.
The aggrieved councillors asserted that immediately their colleagues returned back from the US, they became even more tribal to an extent of unashamedly blocking non-Kalenjin councillors from participating in the Kimsca Games, (convened at Nakuru town slightly about two weeks ago), and which lasted for seven days.
The protesting councillors revealed that all the Kalenjin councillors who attended the just-concluded Kimsca Games were sponsored by the council for seven days, but shockingly, most of them either stayed there for only two days, or never attended the Games at all, after receiving sh 50, 000 each from the council for their upkeep during the sports occasion- a clear theft of funds from the poor taxpayers in Eldoret town.
Councillors Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama complained bitterly that the Kalenjin councillors who were given the sh 50,000 to attend the Games but stayed away, pocketed the cash and have never bothered to return it to the council.
"Why are they stealing from the council? Do they think that the Eldoret municipality is their fiefdom?" the aggrieved councillors asked.
Worse still, Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama accused the Kalenjin civic leaders led by Mayor William Rono and councillor Christopher Sumbaei of Pioneer ward, of intimidating non-Kalenjin officers and workers in the council by demanding their immediate transfers to other areas.
The exasperated councillors accused former long-serving Mayor of Eldoret town Josiah Magut (another close William Ruto sycophant), of allegedly pushing for the arbitrary transfers of the non-Kalenjin workers and officers in a surreptitious, and behind-the-scenes power brokerage game.
The annoyed group of councillors further accused nominated councillor Elijah Busienei (yet another pro-Ruto ally) of stooping too low by threatening to fight non-Kalenjin councillors in the council's private chambers for merely voting against certain motions in the Eldoret municipal council.
Councillors Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama blasted councillor Isaack Kibet of Kamukunji ward(a known William Ruto ally), of openly asking non-Kalenjin councillors to return to their ancestral homes since the rightful owners of Eldoret town are the Kalenjins!
The councillors also spoke against what they said was unfairness and tribalism in the lap trust fund scenario.
They recalled that recently, three lap trust fund members were to attend an annual General Meeting (AGM) at Mombasa, Mayor William Rono included.
The aggrieved councillors explained that Mayor Rono who was away in Egypt, left instructions that his political protégé Christopher Sumbaei should represent him at the AGM, instead of the councils deputy mayor.
They stated that the Mayor picked two councillors from la pro fund to attend the AGM, councillor Sumbaei who is a member of the la pro fund, (but not la pro trust) included.
The councillors accused the Mayor of making wrong choices out of tribalism, while knowing very well that lap trust members are non-Kalenjins whom he discriminated against with impunity.
Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama told the press that non-Kalenjin councillors have vowed to quit the lap trust fund if its representatives cannot have any say to indicate that it is utterly wrong to send members of a different fund (read la pro fund) to attend annual General meetings.
The disenchanted civic leaders, at the same time, charged that acts of land-grabbing have persisted in Eldoret town, as they accused Mayor Rono and his clique of Kalenjin councillors of allegedly openly grabbing public utility land, and other pieces of land.
They further accused the land grabbers of purporting that the commissioner of lands was the one who was issuing them with allotment letters.
Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama accused the councillors and civic bosses who were grabbing land of hurriedly erecting structures at the Kipkaren and Shauri B areas, as well as in the exclusive Eldoret's West Indies Estate.
They also complained of triple allocation of allotment letters at the Shauri B Estate, thus creating and causing more confusion in the municipal council.
The affected councillors demanded that action be taken against one Barnabas Cheruiyot who is in charge of the land files department in the council, for allegedly spearheading and perpetuating the lands forgery scandal that is benefiting his tribesmen in the municipality.
Barnabas Cheruiyot, the councillors charged, had been questioned and investigated some years back by the Kenya Anti- Corruption Commission (KACC) but some influential Kanu kingpins bailed him out of the quagmire.
Concluded councillor Chomba:
"The Eldoret municipal council requires a lot of prayers to salvage it from the abysmal depths of rot it has sunk. The US trip was tantamount to a mock ceremony! It did not yield any fruits, as the Kalenjin councillors returned home more tribal than ever before. It is of paramount importance that the Local Government Ministry devises ways of uniting councillors from different communities, and put a stop to the detestable acts of land-grabbing once and for all."
Discontent, confusion and contempt for the errant civic leaders is high in the air, after it emerged that the gluttonous councillors who are all aligned to Ruto, squandered sh 5.5 million on an unnecessary trip to the US two weeks ago, where they flew with the full approval of the Mayor, visiting plush areas, wining and dining.
The lucky, go-happy councillors blew up the sh 5..5 million which was earmarked for the Eldoret town beautification program, much to the chagrin of the local residents who have threatened a demonstration in this farmers town, while vowing to kick out the corrupt councillors including Mayor Rono during the 2012 General elections.
The residents accused the councillors who visited the US with the council funds of stealing from them in broad-daylight.They petitioned the Local Government minister Musalia Mudavadi to intervene and save them from exploitation by the civic leaders and chief officers.
It also emerged that non-Kalenjin councillors chickened out of the US trip, after they were informed by the council authorities that they would have to pay from their pockets if they were to go for the trip.
Councillor Charles Omondi of the 64 Industrial ward was the only non-Kalenjin civic leader who went for the US trip after deciding to meet the travel expenses from his own pockets!
It was the height of sarcasm and callousness to the extreme, as councillor Omondi went spending his every cent on the basic needs in the US, as the Kalenjin councillors who have viewed the Eldoret municipal council as a cash cow, enjoyed every bit of the council funds during the trip, wallowing in luxury without spending any coin from their pockets.
What hypocrisy on the part of the greedy lot of councillors and Mayor Rono who, albeit remaining behind out of apparent fear of being accused of complicity in the glaring corruption in the council, monitored the events on a daily basis by cellphone from his base in Eldoret town?
And as protest over the shameful and wanton misuse of the council millions exploded into a crescendo this week, a group of councillors opposed to the councils policies and Mayor Rono's dictatorial tendencies, obstinacy and high-handedness, called a press briefing to condemn tribalism and corruption in the Eldoret municipality.
Led by Councillor Kiiru Chomba of Shauri Yako ward, the angry councillors dismissed the Eldoret municipal council as a den of sheer tribalism and choking graft.
They charged that non-Kalenjin councillors in the row-racked council were being discriminated against on the basis of tribe, as corruption in the civic authority reared its ugly head..
Other councillors who issued the statement jointly with council-or Chomba were: Werambo Ramadhan (who represents the Kidiwa / Kapsuswa ward, Francis Muya (Langas Ya Mumbi ward), Charles Omondi alias SP Omondi (64 Industrial ward), George Mbugua (Kapsoya / Munyaka ward) and nominated councillor Samuel Akama.
They, at the same time, accused Mayor Rono of being a Kibaraka (puppet) of influential power brokers outside the council who were being driven by an insatiable lust for power, riches and political supremacy.
Charging that the new scandal in the council had given it a bad name, the irate councillors exhorted the Local Government minister Musalia Mudavadi to intervene and use his broom to sweep corruption and tribalism out of the graft-ridden municipal council.
The councillors asserted that the Eldoret civic body was at a standstill.
They indicated that the council suffered from double embarrassment- first from the misuse of the funds, and secondly from the councillors glaring incapability to rise to the occasion as role models, even after visiting the US where they came face to face with America's concept of civilisation, respect for human rights and stupendous development.
The aggrieved councillors asserted that immediately their colleagues returned back from the US, they became even more tribal to an extent of unashamedly blocking non-Kalenjin councillors from participating in the Kimsca Games, (convened at Nakuru town slightly about two weeks ago), and which lasted for seven days.
The protesting councillors revealed that all the Kalenjin councillors who attended the just-concluded Kimsca Games were sponsored by the council for seven days, but shockingly, most of them either stayed there for only two days, or never attended the Games at all, after receiving sh 50, 000 each from the council for their upkeep during the sports occasion- a clear theft of funds from the poor taxpayers in Eldoret town.
Councillors Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama complained bitterly that the Kalenjin councillors who were given the sh 50,000 to attend the Games but stayed away, pocketed the cash and have never bothered to return it to the council.
"Why are they stealing from the council? Do they think that the Eldoret municipality is their fiefdom?" the aggrieved councillors asked.
Worse still, Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama accused the Kalenjin civic leaders led by Mayor William Rono and councillor Christopher Sumbaei of Pioneer ward, of intimidating non-Kalenjin officers and workers in the council by demanding their immediate transfers to other areas.
The exasperated councillors accused former long-serving Mayor of Eldoret town Josiah Magut (another close William Ruto sycophant), of allegedly pushing for the arbitrary transfers of the non-Kalenjin workers and officers in a surreptitious, and behind-the-scenes power brokerage game.
The annoyed group of councillors further accused nominated councillor Elijah Busienei (yet another pro-Ruto ally) of stooping too low by threatening to fight non-Kalenjin councillors in the council's private chambers for merely voting against certain motions in the Eldoret municipal council.
Councillors Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama blasted councillor Isaack Kibet of Kamukunji ward(a known William Ruto ally), of openly asking non-Kalenjin councillors to return to their ancestral homes since the rightful owners of Eldoret town are the Kalenjins!
The councillors also spoke against what they said was unfairness and tribalism in the lap trust fund scenario.
They recalled that recently, three lap trust fund members were to attend an annual General Meeting (AGM) at Mombasa, Mayor William Rono included.
The aggrieved councillors explained that Mayor Rono who was away in Egypt, left instructions that his political protégé Christopher Sumbaei should represent him at the AGM, instead of the councils deputy mayor.
They stated that the Mayor picked two councillors from la pro fund to attend the AGM, councillor Sumbaei who is a member of the la pro fund, (but not la pro trust) included.
The councillors accused the Mayor of making wrong choices out of tribalism, while knowing very well that lap trust members are non-Kalenjins whom he discriminated against with impunity.
Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama told the press that non-Kalenjin councillors have vowed to quit the lap trust fund if its representatives cannot have any say to indicate that it is utterly wrong to send members of a different fund (read la pro fund) to attend annual General meetings.
The disenchanted civic leaders, at the same time, charged that acts of land-grabbing have persisted in Eldoret town, as they accused Mayor Rono and his clique of Kalenjin councillors of allegedly openly grabbing public utility land, and other pieces of land.
They further accused the land grabbers of purporting that the commissioner of lands was the one who was issuing them with allotment letters.
Chomba, Ramadhan, Omondi, Muya, Mbugua and Akama accused the councillors and civic bosses who were grabbing land of hurriedly erecting structures at the Kipkaren and Shauri B areas, as well as in the exclusive Eldoret's West Indies Estate.
They also complained of triple allocation of allotment letters at the Shauri B Estate, thus creating and causing more confusion in the municipal council.
The affected councillors demanded that action be taken against one Barnabas Cheruiyot who is in charge of the land files department in the council, for allegedly spearheading and perpetuating the lands forgery scandal that is benefiting his tribesmen in the municipality.
Barnabas Cheruiyot, the councillors charged, had been questioned and investigated some years back by the Kenya Anti- Corruption Commission (KACC) but some influential Kanu kingpins bailed him out of the quagmire.
Concluded councillor Chomba:
"The Eldoret municipal council requires a lot of prayers to salvage it from the abysmal depths of rot it has sunk. The US trip was tantamount to a mock ceremony! It did not yield any fruits, as the Kalenjin councillors returned home more tribal than ever before. It is of paramount importance that the Local Government Ministry devises ways of uniting councillors from different communities, and put a stop to the detestable acts of land-grabbing once and for all."
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