Politics, graft and tribe: Kenya’s heady mix

In years gone by, the sight of Busia Governor Sospeter Ojaamong handcuffed, being denied bail and spending two nights in custody would have provoked a predictable refrain.

His supporters would have been up in arms, protesting outside the courtroom, while his rivals would have capitalised on the occasion to score some political mileage.

In the new age of fighting corruption, however, the law is taking its course with his supporters working behind the scenes to contest the charges on the basis of available evidence.

HANDCUFFED GOVERNOR

“It is worth noting that the first governor in the country to be handcuffed and brought to court — by the way he slept in jail last night — is our very own governor,” Orange Democratic Movement chairman John Mbadi said Thursday.

“But the party is not complaining that our governor is being targeted, neither are the people of Busia.”

SEE-SAW CHANGE

That is the see-saw change which some politicians allied to Deputy President William Ruto and former Transport Cabinet Secretary Michael Kamau appear to have missed by loudly trying to assign some political motive to the ongoing war on corruption. And the public mood has been unforgiving.

Already, allies of Mr Ruto are being trolled on Twitter for opposing the war on corruption and lifestyle audits ordered by President Uhuru Kenyatta on public servants on the grounds that it targets to undermine the Deputy President’s chances of succeeding Mr Kenyatta come 2022.

The allies, led by Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, believe that the anti-graft purge is being driven by the handshake on March 9 between President Kenyatta and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who they contend is training his eyes on the presidency as well.

ORENGO

Siaya Senator James Orengo, who is representing Mr Ojaamong in the case where he is charged with conspiracy to commit an economic crime, is also the subject of a social media debate on whether there is a conflict of interest in his role as a member of the Senate, which defends county funds, defending a governor accused of dipping his fingers in the cookie jar.

Mr Odinga and former vice-president Musalia Mudavadi have separately told off the DP’s backers, with the latter saying opposing lifestyle audits amounts to ad-mission of guilt.

LIFESTYLE AUDIT

“Why would you oppose a lifestyle audit if you are clean?” he posed, adding that the dissenters want to cushion some politicians and public officers from accountability. Mr Mbadi holds a similar view.

“When you mention bones where there is an old man, he is bound to feel he is being targeted. And this is precisely the case with those defending Mr Ruto because no one has pointed him out as the target of the audits,” Mr Mbadi said, adding that the audits are one way of healing differences among communities and individuals over unfair sharing of public resources.

Mr Murkomen and other politicians allied to Mr Ruto have in the recent past pro-tested at the planned lifestyle audits, claiming they are targeted at the DP, are un-constitutional, and purely driven by politics.

“In a country that is so divided politically, lifestyle audits can be used by politicians to dim their rivals’ ambitions,” charged Mr Murkomen last week.

“Parliament needs to enact legislation to make the process tamper-proof and ensure it is not hijacked by people with ulterior motives.”

His phone went unanswered when the Nation sought a clarification on his utterances.

UHURU'S LEGACY

Kericho County Senator Aaron Cheruiyot admitted that the lifestyle audits and the fight against corruption would be an enabler to the realisation of President Kenyatta’s legacy, hinged on the Big Four agenda — providing affordable housing, universal healthcare, food security, and a diversified economy through manufacturing.

However, he defended the MPs, saying they have a political duty to ensure the war on corruption is not politicised, as has happened in the past.

“President Kenyatta is determined to leave behind a corruption-free Kenya in 2022,” he said. “That is indeed commendable. But do you remember the ‘List of Shame’? What became of it? Was anyone on that list convicted?”

Mr Cheruiyot was referring to a list of 175 suspects of corruption drawn by President Kenyatta in 2015, which he sensationally tabled in Parliament seeking their grilling.

Mr Mbadi challenged those complaining that the audits are meant to stop some individual or community from ascending to the presidency to demonstrate “that so far all those nabbed or targeted are from one community or are politically linked to one politician”.

OFFICERS SUSPENDED

President Kenyatta ordered on June 4 that procurement and accounting officers in all ministries be suspended from auditing their departments.

And, while on a working tour of Mombasa on June 16, he ordered lifestyle audits, saying they would start with him and Mr Ruto.

It is this latter declaration that has created political furore as to whether Mr Kenyatta’s pronouncement is about securing his legacy or strewing thorns in the way of Mr Ruto’s 2022 presidential bid.

Mr Mudavadi said the anti-graft campaign shouldn’t be confused with a legacy or alleged machinations against anybody. “It is just the right thing to do,” said Mr Mudavadi.

“The corruption tumour must be gouged out. It has pervaded the fabric of society.”

PURGE LEGITIMATE

Former Cabinet minister Prof Amukowa Anangwe said the purge against graft is legitimate given its popularity among most Kenyans, but its motive is bound to polarise political opinion.

“Those on Ruto's side see it as a ploy to stop him from succeeding President Kenyatta,” said Prof Anangwe, who teaches political science at the University of Dodoma in Tanzania.

“Such an argument is self-incriminating as it implies Ruto is corrupt. However, seeking to be the President of Kenya is Ruto's personal quest, and it is subject to fulfilling the integrity requirements as provided for in the 2010 Constitution of Kenya.”

If anything, Mr Anangwe said, the purge should have started earlier under the previous regimes, but “better late than never”