Kenya's Papers Reveal: NIS Pressure Coerced Ruto Into Deal With Raila to Maintain Parliamentary Control

On Monday, March 24, regional papers gave prominent coverage to the prevailing socio-political landscape of the nation, emphasizing significant events influencing public debate such as political shifts, societal concerns, and economic hurdles.

1. The Standard

According to the report, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) alerted President William Ruto about potential risks associated with appointing the opposition as the National Assembly’s Majority Leader, which might make him vulnerable to impeachment proceedings.

The intelligence report was issued after Raila Odinga failed to secure the position of African Union Commission chairman and coincided with ODM advocating for significant roles within the government.

A member of Parliament from Rift Valley, who is a strong supporter of the President, disclosed that the National Intelligence Service warned Deputy President Ruto about the risks of letting the opposition take over parliament. This situation might impede governmental functions and make impeachment more likely.

An assistant at the State House allegedly verified that the president was encouraged to use Raila’s popularity to keep legislative authority.

After the High Court decision restored the Azimio la Umoja-One Kenya Alliance as the leading party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) called for control of the Majority Leader position along with more seats in the Cabinet and appointments for Principal Secretaries. Nevertheless, according to intelligence reports, there were suggestions advising President-elect Ruto to block the ODM from obtaining these positions.

The Majority Leader plays a crucial role in shaping parliamentary procedures, particularly concerning the national budget.

In an effort to prevent a power conflict, Ruto allegedly held talks with ODM, leading to a power-sharing agreement.

Instead of giving up his position as Majority Leader, he let ODM take charge of important parliamentary committees.

Butere MP Tindi Mwale has been chosen as the chair of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC). Meanwhile, multiple ODM lawmakers have taken up key positions in significant committees.

Although many have commended the NIS for averting a potential political crisis, its actions have also come under examination.

Herman Manyora, a political analyst, indicated that Raila took advantage of an opening to gain power yet might still adjust his stance to match popular opinion.

The ODM Secretary General, Edwin Sifuna, cautioned that the party might pull out of the accord should the government fail to honor its pledges.

2. Daily Nation

The document states that Moses Kuria, who serves as a member of President William Ruto’s Council of Economic Advisers, has refuted any connection to InvestAfrica-FZCO, a firm based in the United Arab Emirates. This denial comes amid the company's activities within both the public and private sectors of Kenya.

On August 24, 2024, Ruto included Kuria in the council exactly one month following his dismissal from the Cabinet as a result of demonstrations led by young people protesting against the administration.

Last week, an announcement from an auction house regarding the sale of two apartment complexes in Juja and Ruaka apparently disclosed a link between Kuria and InvestAfrica-FZCO, as they were found to share identical mailing addresses.

When asked about the auction, Kuria supposedly downplayed the issue, saying it was his "private affair" and underlining that he had left public office.

Despite dealing with the potential sale of his assets because of some unspecified financial obligation, InvestAfrica-FZCO continues to invest heavily in troubled firms that are part of the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

One of its latest purchases was Kenya Orchards Ltd (KOL), with the transaction valued at approximately 210 million Kenyan shillings.

Previously, the company had acquired a share in Eveready East Africa during its period of financial difficulties.

Even though he consistently denied owning it, documents show that InvestAfrica-FZCO holds the beneficial interest in Smith & Gold Productions. This firm was awarded a KSh 259 million contract for building the Karatu Stadium in Kiambu County.

Until 2023, Kuria was identified as the beneficial owner of Smith & Gold prior to the restructuring which transferred control to InvestAfrica-FZCO.

If a court does not intervene or the remaining debt is not settled, the sale of the Ruaka and Juja properties, which operate under the name Briden Apartments, is scheduled for April 8.

Potential purchasers must submit a returnable security deposit of KSh3 million prior to joining the auction.

3. Taifa Leo

The Swahili newspaper reported that a Maseno University student, who had gone missing for a week and was being searched for by both classmates and law enforcement, was found dead from suicide yesterday.

Kamanja, who is 20 years old, was studying for a degree in Mathematics and Computer Science when she was last spotted on Saturday, March 15th.

At 3:00 PM, he departed from his lodging room to purchase some lunch; however, he did not come back, causing significant concern among his friends and relatives.

Dennis Ochieng', his roommate, mentioned that the deceased had gone out dressed in black pants and a grey sweatshirt, abandoning his laptop and mobile phone.

"We grew worried as he didn’t come back at all during the night, and every attempt we made to contact him was unsuccessful," stated Ochieng'.

He mentioned that his friend seemed to be grappling with mental anguish, though he had never shared what exactly was bothering him.

With each passing day, anxiety mounted amongst his acquaintances and the academic institution’s authorities, culminating in the filing of a missing persons report at Maseno Police Station on March 17th.

Nevertheless, a surge of grief rippled through the campus on Sunday following the discovery of his remains amidst the bushes within the university grounds.

4. The Star

According to the document, in a nation grappling with high unemployment rates because of a slow economy, the administration is facing an expensive contradiction: funding thousands of phantom employees.

Based on the most recent Public Service Commission (PSC) report, approximately 17,000 phantom employees continue to be listed on the country’s official payroll, causing a significant drain on public finances.

The 2024 compliance assessment highlighted multiple governmental bodies, such as prominent entities like the State House, Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), and Kenya Railways, for reporting higher numbers of registered staff compared to those actually on-site.

According to reports, Kenya Railways had the most phantom employees, with 1,261 out of 3,287 staff members not accounted for, indicating that almost 40% were unjustly collecting wages.

Nevertheless, the corporation’s managing director, Philip Mainga, refuted these allegations, maintaining that there were no ghost employees within the entity.

During the verification process at State House, officials identified 1,533 employees, which is 156 less than what was recorded in the official database. In contrast, KBC reported having 231 workers who were not verified.

The PSC report also disclosed that government ministries had the largest number of unrecorded employees, amounting to 12,329 ghost workers, trailed by state corporations which reported 2,486 such cases.

The problem also affected public universities, with Meru University topping the list at 75 phantom employees, trailed by the University of Nairobi with 27 and Kirinyaga University with 21.

The research underscores the prevalence of payroll fraud in governmental bodies, sparking worries about responsibility and improper handling of funds in the public sector.