Khalwale: Is he a political gun for hire or reformist?

But the most enduring image Kenyans have of the Ikolomani MP as far as fighting corruption is concerned comes from last August when he moved a motion to censure former Finance minister Amos Kimunya over the controversial sale of the Grand Regency hotel, renamed Laico Regency.

The speech, with its refrain “Kimunya must go”, stands out for its passionate nature.

“I do everything I do with a passion. It is therefore very easy for people to misconstrue me as having a personal agenda,” he says.

Budalang’i MP Ababu Namwamba, a friend turned harshest critic, says Dr Khalwale is a “political gun for hire.

He is not affiliated to any group, which ideally makes him a gun for hire. He cares less about common man, he is only interested in furthering his own personal ambitions,” says Mr Namwamba.

But his friend Linturi, the Igembe South MP, judges him from a different angle. He reckons that Dr Khalwale is and independent-minded person.

“It is therefore easy for people to misconstrue him as having hidden agenda. But having worked with him for a year now, I believe that he is genuine in what he does,” says Mr Linturi.

He has been mentioned among those eyeing the post of leader of official opposition when it is finally entrenched in the Constitution.

“I will lobby for that position when the time comes. For now, I will do the best I can at PAC and if my colleagues see it fit to elect me to the seat on account of my work, I will be grateful.”

Although he states that he has the interest of the common man at heart, this position seems to be contradicted by the fact that Dr Khalwale is a staunch opponent of taxation of MPs’ perks.

He has been quoted saying that such a move would render legislators “as poor as their constituents.”

“That recommendation was meant to hoodwink the public. I am not against taxing our salaries. I only called for a constitutional amendment that would obligate all MPs to pay taxes without appealing to their philanthropic nature,” he explains.

The son of an industrialist, as he refers to his mother who used to make and sell chang’aa (alocoholic brew) to make ends meets, attended Malinya Primary School in 1967.

Gynaecologist

He joined Musingu High School for his ‘O’ levels between 1975 and 1978, then Kakamega High School for ‘A’ levels from 1979 to 1980. In 1982, he was admitted to the University of Nairobi to study medicine, specialising in gynaecology.