Of Ruto, sex, corruption and politics

There is a lot of hubbub around Ruto’s declaration that he will be gunning for the Presidency. Though not new, (Remember his dismal bid in 07) the media splurge has concentrated their lens on his vituperations and puerile indignation against Raila and not the odds against his grandiose project. The battlefield is the Kalenjin Rift Valley. A keen observer will most likely find out that Ruto’s rabid attempt to balkanize the Kalenjin Community from the rest of the country is for bargaining purposes rather than a credible stab at the presidency. But since he insists that he is serious about it, then we must shift the scenario of the debate from Rift Valley to Kenya and weigh his chances objectively vis-à-vis personality, resources at his disposal, organizational ability, issues and appeal with the international community.

Personality

William Kipchirchir Ruto’s personality in public is genial and affable. A wide grin and a tight handshake are always on the ready. However, knowing him closely will reveal a cocky and derisive person especially when dealing with the poor, his workers and staff. Interviews with employees and members of the public, who have interacted with him, paint a picture of a harsh snob who has no time for the unfortunate. He sneers, scowls and shout at you whenever you ask for a job or favor. His smiles are reserved for the cameras and public rallies. Even MPs who follow him around have in many occasions been snubbed and shouted at. He wears his amicable self when seeking favors from those who are equally or more moneyed than him. He dismisses other people as fools, his favorite adjective.

Ruto never keeps friends unless convenient and useful for that time. In fact, he does not have a single friend. The MPs who traversed the country with him in his ill-fated shot for the Presidency in 07 were all dumped as soon as they lost in the ODM nominations. Besides, he did not come to their financial aid prior to the nominations but rushed to finance whoever won. Those who were presumed to be close to him like former Eldoret East MP Joseph Lagat and former Kipkelion MP, Dr Sam Rutto are languishing silently and cursing Ruto publicly. The story is the same for his former allies in the last parliament. He ignores their calls and openly snubs them whenever they visit him at Kilimo House. He has taken the art of use and dump to a whole new level.

In terms of corruption, he could be the most shady and fraudulent presidential candidate ever. A legion of corruption cases are pending in court. The maize scandals are still fresh. His AMACO insurance business is notorious for tax evasion. His hotel under construction opposite Wilson Airport sits on stolen land. His Easton Apartments in Jogoo Road was built with stolen cement from Portland Cement. His flat under construction in Rongai is on a disputed plot. The list is endless. All Ruto’s wealth is ill-gotten and I wonder whether any sober Kenyan will even contemplate electing him. In fact, he had grabbed a public road reserve connecting State House to Uhuru Park!

His escapades with women are legendary. He is risqué and immoral in all extent of the meaning of that word. It is not uncommon to see young girls queuing for sex and money in his private office in Transnational Plaza every evening. He had converted his Continental House Office to a brothel before being appointed a minister. His aides claim that he cavorts with at least three women in a day. MPs have been warned not to introduce their wives or daughters to him. His home is crowded with children from extra-marital affairs not to mention a dozen others he has fathered. Relationship with his wife is nothing to write home about. His family saga is already in the public domain. One thing that baffles his aides and accomplices is that he never use any form of protection! It is unimaginable to have this sex maniac as a role model for our children in this time and age.

There is a widespread misconception that Ruto is a very generous man. It cannot be further from the truth. The truth of the matter is that he buys influence. He is indeed a master of cash diplomacy. Whenever there is a hot issue or a function he would want to appear before the cameras, he will always pay 100 000 Kshs to every Mp to attend and be seen alongside him. That is why he is very popular with broke first time young MPs like Kuttuny and Dr. Kones.

He cherishes an aura of a wealthy man. On Harambees, he will contribute generously to curry favor with the public. When it comes to his employees, family or an individual without influence, the case shifts dramatically. He can’t part with a dime. He only invests where he is sure of maximum political returns. Woe unto you, if he owes you any money, he never services his debts. Even bills. Power disconnections are common in his house!

Resources

Resources are a very important factor in winning a presidential race in Kenya. A well oiled campaign machinery requires an upward of Kshs 2 Billion. Ruto is worth but an eighth of this.

That Ruto is a very wealthy man is nothing but a myth. He is a man of means but not as much he would want us to believe. His hubris, flamboyance and ostentations have helped perpetuate this myth amongst the innocent public. In 2006 and up to 2007, Ruto was at the verge of bankruptcy. He was running a costly campaign backed by insufficient resources and unwilling donors. His salary in parliament was a paltry Kshs 100 000 because of loans. He was earning Kshs 300 000 per week as allowances in AMACO, 1.5 Million from rent in Eastons Apartment and Kshs 300 000 from rent in Matiny property in Rongai and yet his campaign budget was Kshs 2 Million per week. There was a huge gap that had to be filled. His major donor, Mr. Joshua Kulei was fatigued. Yagnesh Devani of Triton was getting pissed off. Harambee checques were bouncing by the dozens. Moi was fighting him with money that he could not match. He was in dire straits. To bridge the expenditure gap, he withdrew more and more from AMACO driving it almost belly-up.

He begged for cash left, right and centre. His home in Karen was up for auction by HFCK over unpaid mortgage to the tune of Kshs 3 Million and ditto for his houses in Rongai. Transnational Bank was threatening to sue over a 6 Million overdraft.

He was a man under siege. He sold off his plots in Nairobi but the reprieve didn’t last long. All along people used to claim he had cash stashed in foreign accounts but it was untrue. Kulei upped his weekly handout to Kshs 200 000 per week but it was insufficient. He wanted to be seen flush with cash but the image was too expensive to sustain. When he was an inch to the cliff the Raila presidential campaigns came. It was such a relief for him.

He harassed Asian tycoons to contribute to the ODM kitty through him. He is such a formidable resource mobilizer. He applied the YK 92 tactics. Money flowed in millions. The money did not get to the ODM secretariat but he utilized it to sort his financial woes and fund ODM Members of Parliament in Rift Valley, Upper Eastern, Coast, North Eastern and some in Western Kenya. Each to a tune of between 1.2 Million and 3 Million. Some of the lackeys and poodles namely Aden Duale, Ababu Namwamba, Dr Julius Kones, Charles Keter, Joshua Kuttuny and many others following him around owe their allegiance to this money.

His financial godfather Mr. Joshua Kulei gave him a whopping Kshs 300 Million in cash and a white Range Rover ( it carried a KAG registration but was changed to KAW 583) 60 Million of which he forwarded to ODM Secretariat and kept the rest. Former Triton tycoon, Mr. Yagnesh Devani, gave him 50 Million and a green Mercedes Benz E 350 (formerly carried a KAM registration but was irregularly plated KAW 600 Q, same as his green Range Rover 4.8). Not a single cent got to the ODM kitty. Kabuito Contractors magnate gave him Kshs 10 Million and a white Range Rover Discovery. These amongst many other major donors contributed almost 500 Million.

He dazzled and dazed friends and foes alike in the campaign trail with his newly acquired wealth. Even Raila himself was enthralled.

The massive millions he retained were used to jumpstart the construction of the hitherto stalled Weston Hotel (still under construction opposite Wilson airport) bought a farm for Kshs 40 Million from his business partner and MD of AMACO; Mr. Silas Simatwa and renovated his decaying Karen home. He also shilly-shallied with a consultant to build a resort in Karen.

The money he is splashing around is from sugar, maize and fertilizer tendering kickbacks in his Agriculture Ministry. If Ruto was to be fired today, then his presidential ambitions and nationwide campaigns will grind to an immediate halt. This is because he has not improved his investment portfolio since his 06/07 presidential campaigns and his relationship with his bankroller Mr. Kulei is on the rocks. He is liquid owing to his ministerial position and thieving habits but not wealthy. Only addition are the twenty China made lorries he bought from the maize scam proceeds doing transit business registered under BZK, formerly Buzeki.

Ruto’s assets can be summarized in a single paragraph: AMACO, Easton Apartments, Osere Flats in Rongai, Weston Hotel (under construction), Karen Home in Koitobos Road worth 28 Million, Elgon View Home, Sugoi Home and Farm, twenty Lorries (China made). Period. These investments cannot finance a Kshs 8 Billion campaign war chest as it was claimed in a section of the media a few weeks ago.

Campaign Organization

Organization can break or make any campaign. Obama’s campaign was a great success owing to the way he related with his staff and the free hand he gave Mr. David Axelrod to run the campaign.

With the benefit of hindsight from his failed presidential bid in 07, Ruto cannot measure up to the demands of team work necessary in a campaign of this caliber. He believes in one man show. Those who have worked with him will tell you a story of a control freak. He is hardworking, yes, but a presidential campaign is demands a formidable well coordinated campaign secretariat. In 2007, he didn’t have a secretariat but utilized the offices of Katwa and Kemboy Advocates. His ‘secretariat’ members were made up of Katwa Kigen and Julius Kemboy only. These are the people who wrote his manifesto.

His biggest undoing is money. He never believes in anybody else handling campaign money and never had a budget for the secretariat. He plays accountant, auditor, cashier and everything relating to his money. He never delegates because he believes himself to be perfect. His conceited and bigoted ego cannot allow him to learn any lessons from his 07 presidential debacle.

Since campaigns have become more high-tech and classical campaign methods are giving way to more sophisticated techniques, it remain to be seen whether he will conform. To start with, he is not computer literate; he cannot open mails nor access the internet. How he will utilize social networking sites is hard to fathom. Though he is currently on Facebook, it was his former personal assistant who ran the now dormant account.

Issues

Ruto is generally brilliant but uninformed and miserably knowledgeable. He never reads and neither does he keep himself abreast with international news. He has but one book of political quotes. That is why his speeches are replete with disjointed bookish quotes. He is so uninformed he once asked whether Iran is in South America. He would have made a formidable opponent to anybody had he spared himself some time to read and get informed.

Since he joined politics in 1992, Ruto has written four articles to the press. He has moved only one motion in Parliament. He is an avid debater but he is lacking on policy. He is yet to bring meaningful changes in the Agricultural sector. Scandals are more conspicuous than life enhancing policies. If he was to write a CV applying for the presidency then his credentials can hardly fill a single page. His track record is fit for a new address in Kamiti Maximum Prisons and not State House!

His history does not augur well with the aspirations of many Kenyans who want a clean break from the past. It will be interesting to watch him defend his tainted past in presidential debates. New economic dispensation and an end to corruption are dear issues in the hearts of many a Kenyan electorate. His records are ether bleak, obscure or dirtied in all these accounts.

International Appeal

Ruto’s international credentials leave a lot to be desired for a person who wants to run for presidency. He has zero connections with the international community. His image is tattered by numerous corruption cases that have dogged his political career. The US and the EU once banned him in early 2007 on corruption related issues. That is why he mobilized other ODM luminaries against accompanying Raila on his trip to the US the same year. His Visa has since been reinstated on unclear grounds but it might be cancelled any time in the light of new corruption allegations against him.

Weighed against Raila and Kalonzo, Ruto is an obvious light weight on this score and many other fronts.

In all fairness, it is obvious that chances of William Kipchirchir Ruto ( note that he adopted the name Samoei in 1997 for symbolic reasons, even his ID does not bear it)becoming the fourth president of the Republic of Kenya are tantamount to those of a dog becoming a lion! It is only but a decoy to balkanize and later auction the Kalenjin vote to the highest bidder.

Comments:

Anonymous said...

crap crap
January 19, 2010 10:01 PM
Anonymous said...

get your facts right idiot, so much non sense in your boring article
January 19, 2010 10:03 PM
Anonymous said...

Sounds better than has been alleged! If all this is true he's actually better than all his competitors.
I think you are just disgruntled because he fired you.
January 20, 2010 1:26 AM
SayAfrica said...

thenkx for all those comments
January 20, 2010 2:18 AM
Nameless said...

This is very important information. Thank you for a well researched article. Kenyans will not vote for a murderous thief
January 20, 2010 10:11 AM
Anonymous said...

We need to write facts and only facts for public consumption in all issues that touch on our leaders. An article that peddles lies and misrepresents facts in public domain is not only a candidate for libelious prosectuion but downright immoral and unacceptable before the eyes of right thinking minds of the public. If the author of this article escapes punishment, he or she should count his or her luck. This article appears to have been written by one Mr Samoei former PA of the subject, he seems to be very disgruntled and a bitter man, especially after the subject refused to endorse him for the Sotik parliamentary seat against the sitting MP, even though, reliable sources indicate he was given Kshs 700,000 and only garnered 40 votes in sotik by-election, after the sad demise of Hon Lorna Laboso. It is also a public secret that the author took money from the subject on pretense that he would pay for his MBA program at a local university. To add insult to injury, the subject has reportedly sought to distance himself from the bitter author, after receiving ovwerwhelming adverse complaints on the author from the public, including soliciting sexual favors from every female visitor and bribes in order for the author to arrange much sought after appointments with the subject. We hope by pouring his bitterness to the public, his soul and spirit may now go easy.
January 26, 2010 2:13 AM
cornelio said...

Dude,some unfounded claims that cannot be defended need not to be put across,in all fairness i believe all the political leaders in kenya have dirty linen,the question should be who has a slightly dirty linen?
Lastly,with all that said go ahead and post the characters of the rest who have declared their presidential ambitions..
Cornelius-Kipkorir-tx
January 26, 2010 10:22 PM
Anonymous said...

i happened to have worked across Ruto's office in continental house in 06 n i can vouch for some of the claims to be through of the said Ruto! if people could know who ruto really is, i bet my bottom dollar that nobody will touch him with a long stick
January 27, 2010 1:30 AM

Kibaki's second term is a criminal term, courtesy of himself

Is Dr. Mohammed Isahakia destroying the Prime Minister?

Recent media reports (The People On Sunday May 4, 2008) about a fierce war by officers at the Primier's office barely scratch the bottom of what is really at stake for Raila Odinga and ODM. The man drawing discontent in the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) is Dr. Mohammed Isahakia, erstwhile head of the ODM Presidential Campaign Secretariat, former director of National Museums of Kenya and former Permanent Secretary (PS) whom Moi sacked severally under controversial circumstances and now the re-invented boss at the critical PM's office.

He is the only PS in the history of civil service re-appointed to public office while still facing misuse of office allegations in court in addition to being past retirement age. He is such a persona that his support base (Muslims) and party (ODM) fraternity do not want him near any decision–making but the Prime Minister is weighed down with him.

He is also the "enemy within" that party bigwigs and strategists tag for spirited sabotage manoeuvres of the ODM electioneering campaigns, misuse of campaign funds, fiasco in cabinet portfolio balance in power-sharing negotiations and short-changing in public service appointments, but who has been planted on the PM as his closest minder.

Recent reports of infighting within the PM's office and disquiet within ODM hierarchy is but a tip of the iceberg as the PM faces credibility questions from his own party. Members of the Pentagon, cabinet ministers and large pools of professional support groups cite lack of integrity by officers in his office. Prime Minister Raila Odinga is indeed in danger of squandering an image build over the years as a man after real change in governance.

Premier's Office in Disarray
The recent squabble might seem to be between Dr. Isahakia and Raila's close political aide, the Secretary of Administration at the PM's office, Mr. Caroli Omondi; but the gulf runs much deeper. On the PM's instruction, Mr. Omondi wrote to the Justice Aaron Ringera-headed KACC asking for a brief on the controversially alleged handover of Grand Regency Hotel by Kamlesh Patni, of the Goldenberg infamy. Mr. Omondi, a lawyer and ODM liaison officer at the on-going Serena Mediation talks signed off as the "Chief of Staff" for the PM.

Apparently upset that Raila had overlooked him in "protocol", Dr. Isahakia is said to have appealed to newfound confidante - the Head of Civil Service Mr. Francis Muthaura - to put the record straight on the pecking order at the PM's office. Motivating Isahakia was the desire to spite the PM amidst suspicion that the PM is already overwhelmed by appeals to cut him loose. In an offhand rude putdown to Raila and Omondi, Muthaura - in the now-famous insolent manner he has come to treat the PM - did not let his buddy down; he was least bothered with courtesies and official channels.

He contemptuously let fly through the media his disdain for Raila; Muthaura was categorical that no one will bother with a reply since government structures had no "chief of staff" and only Dr. Isahakia could author such requests. This is despite the letter downright stating that "I have been directed by the Rt. Hon. Prime Minister…" Insubordination is the strategy to Muthaura has chosen to let the PM know his place.

The relationship between Muthaura and Dr. Isahakia is intriguing and a source of great anxiety within ODM. In the heat of disagreements over portfolio balance, the two were used as point's men by President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila respectively in heated correspondence, when one-on-one meetings failed. Dr. Isahakia was the errand boy for ODM on "portfolio balance" in meetings with Muthaura for PNU. It through these engagements that the two developed a conspiratorial working rapport.

The Saboteur
Back to ODM portfolio balance negotiations, a red flag was first raised when media leaks begun to portray ODM as constantly conceding on its "irreducible minimum" in portfolio balance. Sources say that "coincidences were too many" when approved "portfolio balance" presentations to PNU were concisely substituted with new ones once in the hands of Isahakia.

"It was baffling. For instance, the strategists would work on a document and fine tune it for presentation. But between Isahakia's offices for the PM's approval, the document would acquire different proposals. Of course the PM would assume that the changes were by the strategy team as it had been presented to him!" said a distraught official. He cited the leak that portrayed ODM ceding Foreign Affairs, Internal Security and Finance to PNU even before any discussion was held as a fake document that was traced back to an Isahakia sidekick at Pentagon House.

It was determined that Isahakia had been "turned" in espionage to ensure a favourable deal for PNU because he was "too compromised" by his past. In his mole role, Isahakia was/has strategically been placed to feed Raila with misinformation. Henceforth Isahakia would not meet alone with Muthaura. He would be shadowed by Mr. Caroli Omondi, Dalmas Otieno and Amukowa Anagwe.

However, Isahakia would pull a first one; he recruited Dalmas Otieno and Amukowa Anagwe into his confidence. At Sagana where 'portfolio balance' was agreed only Isahakia and Muthaura and the two principals were present. It is noteworthy that not even the highest decision-making organ – Pentagon - at ODM was aware of Sagana. Subsequently Isahakia would evade 'his tails' in meetings with his new-found villain Muthaura to fine tune the agreement and finalise appointments to cabinet and civil service that has became the source of fury in ODM.

"It is uncanny how Isahakia connived to meet alone with Muthaura and agree on PS allotments and then tell a tall story as already plotted by them to the PM", said an ODM MP.

Plot to Fix Raila's Reputation
In a much Isahakia's positioning is a source of ire, diehard supporters of the PM fear that it is an insidious long-term PNU plot to politically fix Raila. To begin with among the presidential candidates, it only the Raila Odinga who presented himself as "Mr. Clean" and on behalf ODM promised to fight corruption. In the campaigns, Raila would scold opponents as representing "business as usual" in reference to their alleged corrupt backgrounds in public perception.

"It comes as shocking and alarming to supporters that the PM has within his office people with stained and dubious reputations" , said a professional from Nyanza.

Supporters are worried that apart from Isahakia himself, the latter in complicity with Muthaura is busy recruiting into PM's office wheeler dealer Tony Gachoka as a Senior Assistant Secretary for protocol and a Major Idris who left the armed forces procurement department under a dubious cloud as a Deputy Secretary. This is being done without following laid down procedures indicating the length head of public service, Muthuara is prepared to prop up his friend and go to have PNU-friendly insiders around the PM.

Most of PM's close confidants are lost for words that their interventions to have the PM cut loose Dr. Isahakia have hit a brick wall. Dr. Isahakia continues to call the shots even as he continues, according to ODM insiders, "to mislead the PM into PNU traps at every corner". It is in this light that Raila is said to be quietly shifting political responsibilities to Mr. Omondi prompting Isahakia to wage insurgency in cohorts with Muthaura.

"We sincerely do not know where the Captain got this man and why", said an irate ODM Pentagon member when asked about Isahakia's recruitment as campaign head adding he found the PS "lazy, manipulative and inopportune" . "He confessed to me that he knew nothing about managing campaigns and proved it", he said.

"I can tell you the man is incapable of writing a simple memo", said a former minister whose sentiments were supported by a member of ODM strategy team who had to re-draft "juvenile" memos from Isahakia.

"We don't know this man'
However, insiders told us that Dr. Isahakia as the ODM Presidential Campaign Secretariat head was part of the deal in the contentious and debilitating "Muslim MOU" authored by NAMLEF, the Muslims lobby group that was at the centre of the debate during that 2007 campaigns. In the course of the campaigns, however, it transpired Dr. Isahakia abandoned the Muslim agenda and became a material broker for vested interests in the party nominations, especially Muslim parliamentary constituencies. Furthermore, the source claimed, campaign funds released to the area never reached the intended beneficiaries. They cite a case of Ksh.1m meant for a coordinator who only received Ksh200, 000 from Dr. Isahakia.

"He is responsible for the fiasco that saw us loose ground in North Eastern to PNU as he substituted strategic parliamentary candidates with his cronies in the area for some consideration. Somehow, most of his recommended candidates lost to PNU", said a party strategist from the region who sought anonymity.

As if these were not enough, the Muslim community feels short-changed in the recent PS appointment by ODM which led to a delegation that asked the PM to fire his PS. Sources in NAMLEF say that Dr. Isahakia colluded with PNU to ensure that names for ODM Muslim appointees to PS positions, like the those from other regions, were replaced by PNU appointees.

Players in the on-going saga who fear that there is a larger PNU plot to isolate the PM from his support bases point out that PNU is already using its manipulation of PS appointments to its advantage in ODM support areas. "I can tell you that other than one Secretary, none of those PSs with Muslim names are ODM supporters", said an NAMLEF official.

The story is the same everywhere; Kanu is busy taunting ODM in Rift Valley since all PS appointees are its supporters to the chagrin of ODM Kalenjin professionals. In Western, ODM was even upstaged by ODM-K and Ford-Kenya where they got one PS each to none for ODM! In addition, Kibaki retained his previous appointees.

More recently, there are unconfirmed reports circulating among Muslims that ODM cabinet and PS positions were "bought" for as much as Ksh30 million and Ksh20, 000 respectively.

'Dirty Hands'
The insinuation of dirtied hands at the PM's office goes back to the campaigns. The issue of misappropriation of campaign funds is not new. At the height of the campaigns, the media cited conflict of interest in the award of tenders at Orange House, the party headquarters. To date, the party secretariat has not accounted for the millions that aspirants on the ODM ticket paid as nominations fees.

What did not attract media attention; however, were the goings-on at the Presidential Campaign Secretariat headquarters then based at Dr. Isahakia's private office at Titan House near Yahya Centre. Information now sipping out reveals that despite public perception that ODM was a well-funded machine; the presidential campaign had to operate from hand-to-mouth most of December as cartels at the secretariat under Dr. Isahakia's command siphoned off millions in procurement deals that nearly derailed the campaign.

"You had the 'Isahakia boys' inflate transport, publicity and security procurements while major needs were left bleeding for want of money. Their trick was to ensure that the logistics for members of Pentagon campaigns teams were well executed to blindside them from seeing the sabotage from within", we were told by a regional coordinator from Rift Valley.

He said Isahakia dillydallied with the roll-out for recruitment and training programmes for presidential agents in an act that many saw as sabotage. At the intervention of the strategy team, this task was personally delegated to Mr. Omondi by the presidential candidate. It is no wonder campaign tuff wars have been extended to the PM's office.

Fraudulent deals
Another case darkens the clouds over Isahakia are revelations about an internal opinion poll that cost Ksh6 million. A member of the media team based at Raila's private offices at Raila Odinga Centre (ROC) House in the Upper Hill area of Nairobi revealed that Isahakia recruited a former Kanu insider and PS Dr. Jeremiah Ngeno and made him "head of technical services".

Dr. Ngeno was meant to be answerable to the high powered strategy team based at Rainbow House in Kawangware but never shared any information with it, choosing instead to chain himself at Isahakia's Titan office. It turned out that Dr. Ngeno never carried out any field work for the opinion poll. Instead, our source said, the couple (Isahakia and Dr. Ngeno) teamed up with Dr. Simbili current PS Planning ministry at the PM's office, and used rehashed data from the national sampling agency from the ministry.

The strategy team that used to advice on itinerary was shut out when it demanded to see the protocol for the poll, samples of questionnaires and tabulations. After evading the team's demands Dr. Ngeno would secretly present "polling results" to the ODM candidate which was used to map out his campaign itinerary in the final days of the campaign. This ensured that the campaign was diverted into investing resources and time in useless trips to regions that had little added value. The heightened poll results showed PNU winning and thus panicked ODM into frantic campaigns.

Too late it would be discovered that in fact Dr. Isahakia, Dr. Ngeno and Dr. Sambili actually used poll results earlier commissioned by PNU through the Ministry of Planning under Dr. Sambili's direction to mislead the ODM campaign. All this time, just like it would happen during the post-election negotiations with Isahakia, that time the candidate would be presented with a fait accompli that Dr. Ngeno was an emissary of the strategy team.

"Sack this man'
"At one time, people just got fed-up and told the Captain to fire Isahakia if he expected a win", said a volunteer who worked at Rainbow House in the ODM strategy team.

"However, to our dismay almost all senior staff at the secretariat were fired except Isahakia", the volunteer said addicting that the PS's management style by deception and double-dealing has served him well, and that "you do not get into a dog-fight with Isahakia and win".

Today, Dr. Sambili having been retained as PS Ministry of Planning in the Premier's Office is working closely with Dr. Ngeno on harmonising party manifestoes for the Grand Coalition Government.

A minister whom Isahakia have worked under in the public service says that "yeye ni mutu wa kukupotosha" (he misleads you) and then pretends to be the one solving the problem.

"Isahakia uses bad-mouthing to the boss as a potent weapon. He has succeeded in isolating the PM from his trusted teams", said a former PS now an ODM MP referring to the dismissal of long-serving Raila aides during the campaign ostensibly due to financial misappropriation. It is said Isahakia has mastered the art of passing the buck to his subordinates. He would set people up by goading them into a deal and then rush to "report".

In this way Isahakia is said to have managed to get rid of former Raila PA Dave Arunga, and Head of Campaign Finance and ODM party secretary general Tony Chege. This was after he had instigated fallout between Raila's personal assistant Serah Elderkin on one hand and Raila's daughter Rosemary Akinyi who was the deputy to Director of Communications Kibisu-Kabatesi on the other. The latter two had questioned the opaque use of publicity money.

The bad blood between Isahakia and the strategy team, many whose names were dropped from PS appointments must be seen in this context. To completely obliterate the team's central role in advising the Premier, Isahakia is lobbying that it be deployed to the party as departmental directors. Indeed, a source confirms that there is a plot to close Pentagon House, which is an important symbol for ODM.

Indeed, the PM is now surrounded by gatekeepers who are Isahakia cohorts. Information indicates that Isahakia is currently up in arms against a new structure in the PM's office that donors have agreed to support. That the recent snide accusations that foreigners are "babysitting" the PM by PNU are part of his counter attack strategy so as not to loose influence on the PM.

Pundits are still out on what next; will this ODM Iago of Shakespearean intrigue survive the bile supping ODM?

Women, youth and Kenya lose in new PS line up

Mwizi Kibaki has lived up to his reputation of tokenism and a knack for the grey haired and tired recycled technocrats of the yester-years. Read the list of appointees and you will not fail to notice that Kenya is Gemanizing the more it is coalescing. It is a tragic lose for women and the youth not to mention the greater republic. By retaining the super-half-centuries, Mr Kibaki has displayed utter contempt for Kenya and Kenyans. He must not be allowed to go on unchecked.

And if Kenyans thought that they had enough of Dr Goebbels Mutua, hold your breath. He is retained, as Dan Maanzo gets a reprieve for being jilted by Judas Iscariot Kalooser Musyoka.

Here is the list:
OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
Cabinet Office
Permanent Sec., Sec. to Cabinet & Head Public Service: Ambassador Francis Muthaura
Private Secretary/Comptroll er: Mr. Hyslop Ipu
Public Communications Secretary & Government Spokesperson: Dr. Alfred N. Mutua
Secretary, National Economic & Social Council: Dr. Julius Monzi Muia
Principal Administrative Secretary: Mr. Sam Mwale
Secretary, Presidential Press Service: Mr. Isaiah Kabira

Ministry of State for Internal Security & Provincial Administration Permanent Secretary: Mr. Francis Kimemia
Secretary, Provincial Administration: Mr. Kenneth M. Lusaka

Ministry of State for Defence
Permanent Secretary: Amb. Nancy Kirui

OFFICE OF THE VICE PRESIDENT
Ministry of State for Home Affairs
Permanent Secretary: Dr. Ludeki Chweya

Ministry of State for Immigration and Registration of Persons
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Emannuel Kisombe

Ministry of State for National Heritage & Culture
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Seno Nyakenyanya
Secretary, Culture: Mr. Said Athman

OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER
Permanent Secretary: Dr. Mohammed Isahakia
Secretary, Administration: Mr. Caroli Omondi

Ministry of Planning, National Development and Vision 2030
Permanent Secretary: Dr. Edward Sambili

Ministry of State for Public Service
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Titus Ndambuki
Permanent Secretary, Public Sector Reforms & Performance Contracting: Mr. Richard Ndubai

OFFICE OF DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTRY OF TRADE
Permanent Secretary: Dr (Eng) Silas Njiru
Secretary, External Trade: Mr. Simon Chacha Nyang

OFFICE OF THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTRY OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT Permanent Secretary: Mr. Samuel Kirui

Ministry of East African Community
Permanent Secretary: Mr. David Nalo

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Thuita Mwangi

Ministry of Finance
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Joseph Kinyua
Finance Secretary: Mr. Mutua Kilaka
Investment Secretary: Ms. Esther Koimett
Economic Secretary: Dr. Kamau Thuge

Ministry of Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs
Permanent Secretary: Amb. Amina Mohammed
Secretary, National Cohesion: Dr. Kithure Kindiki

Ministry of Nairobi Metropolitan Development
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Philip Onyango Sika
Secretary, Physical Planning: Eng. John Ndirangu Maina

Ministry of Roads
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Michael Kamau

Ministry of Public Works
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Mark Bor
Secretary for Works: Mr. Gideon Mulyungi

Ministry of Transport
Permanent Secretary: Eng. Abdulrazak Aden Ali

Ministry of Water and Irrigation
Permanent Secretary: Eng. David Stower

Information & Communication
Permanent Secretary: Dr. Bitange Ndemo

Ministry of Energy
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Patrick Nyoike

Ministry of Lands
Permanent Secretary: Ms. Dorothy Angote

Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources
Permanent Secretary: Prof. James Ole Kiyiapi

Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Kombo Mwero

Ministry of Tourism
Permanent Secretary: Ms. Rebecca Mwikali Nabutola

Ministry of Agriculture
Permanent Secretary: Dr. Romano M. Kiome

Ministry of Livestock Development
Permanent Secretary: Dr. Jacob Ole Miaron

Ministry of Fisheries Development
Permanent Secretary: Prof. Micheni Ntiba

Ministry of Regional Development Authorities
Permanent Secretary: Eng. Carey Orege

Ministry of Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands
Permanent Secretary: Dr. Hukka Wario

Ministry of Education
Permanent Secretary: Prof. Karega Mutahi
Secretary, Education: Prof. George Godia

Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology
Permanent Secretary: Prof. Crispus Kiamba
Secretary, National Council For Science and Technology: Prof. Abdirazak Shaukat

Ministry of Cooperatives Development
Permanent Secretary: Mr.. Patrick Khaemba

Ministry of Industrialization
Permanent Secretary: Prof. John Krop Lonyangapuo
Secretary for Industrialization: Dr. John Musonic

Ministry of Housing
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Tirop Kosgey

Ministry of Special Programmes
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Ali Dawood

Ministry of Gender & Children Development
Permanent Secretary: Ms. Leah Adda Gwiyo
Secretary for Children Affairs: Prof. Jacqueline Oduol

Ministry of Public Health and Sanitation
Permanent Secretary: Dr. James Nyikal

Ministry of Medical Services
Permanent Secretary: Dr. Hezron Nyangito
Director of Medical Services: Dr. Francis Kimani

Ministry of Labour
Permanent Secretary: Ms. Beatrice Naliaka Wasike

Ministry of Youth and Sports
Permanent Secretary: Mr. Murugu Kinuthia, BS
Secretary, Sports: Mr. Daniel K. Maanzo

Office of the Attorney General
Solicitor General: Mr. Wanjuki Muchemi