Mudavadi said MCAs who are part of the elected leaders should understand devolution is a critical component of governance under the 2010 constitution.

He said as stipulated under its functions it calls for MCAs to prioritise legislations and bills that aid in the delivery of services and spearhead development at the county level.

He said leaders in the political class should respect and act on the mandate given to them by the people.

He was speaking at the 45th Logooli cultural festival in Mbale, Vihiga County.

“Leaders at all levels should take responsibility and stop this habit of pushing the blame to the next person. Every leader must deliver on what they are supposed to do as elected leaders.” Mudavadi warned.

“Giving an example of the resolutions we passed last year at the 44th edition of this festival, MCAs should by now have passed legislations to have the Mbale Cultural Grounds gazetted for us to begin modernizing it as our cultural centre.” he added.

Mudavadi who doubles as the patron of the Vihiga Cultural Society a body responsible for organizing the Logooli cultural festival, said his passion towards enriching the Maragoli culture should be replicated by the leaders under him especially the Members of Parliament and the MCAs.

He said culture breeds national unity and it should be supported at all costs.

“I love the people of this region and I love our culture, we should never allow it to die, it has to prosper. I am proud to be a Maragoli and a Luhya, but I am more proud to be a Kenyan. We need to remain united even as we conserve our culture.” he added.

Mudavadi used the platform to defend the governments’ position for supporting Raila Odinga’s African Union Candidature saying January next year is going to be a busy month for President William Ruto and him as they hit the road to campaign for Odinga ahead of the February elections.

The PCS said they were supporting Raila’s bid without any conditions because they believed on his potential to steer African Union to great heights.

“We have confidence on Raila and we are supporting him putting in the best effort we can.” said Mudavadi.

He said Odinga is first a Kenyan leader with great expertise and his vision and credentials place him as the right leader for the position.

He added that Odinga has also demonstrated that has also demonstrated to be a leader who will advance the collective aspirations for a united, peaceful, and prosperous Africa.

He warned of the political class introducing conditionalities in the support for Odinga.

“There should be no conditionalities, even President Ruto is supporting him without any conditions.”

Mudavadi said as he warned leaders from the Western region who are introducing political gimmicks in the matter.

The Prime CS also urged the residents of the region as well as other Kenyans to embrace the new Social Health Insurance Fund under the Taifa Care umbrella.

He said Kenyans should not fall into the trap of those opposing the rollout and implementation of the new healthcare scheme.

He has warned that those opposing the new scheme have a hidden agenda to continue crippling the health sector, thus denying Kenyans benefits of a new universal healthcare plan.

“Other regions through sensitization and the call by their leaders are registering in big numbers knowing that they will benefit from the equipment and other support using their numbers. Nyeri, Embu, Narok, Kirinyaga and many other counties are now ranging to 30-40 percentage registration and here in Vihiga we are still staggering at a mere 12-13 percent. We need to be serious and stop introducing politics into this matter.” he warned.

On the issue of insecurity in Vihiga County, the Prime Cabinet Secretary assured the residents that he will take personal responsibility as one of the senior most leaders in government from the region and ensure security is improved and lives protected.

Insecurity in Vihiga County has escalated dramatically, alarming residents with a surge in violent incidents day and night.

“I will take responsibility and ensure normalcy returns to avert fear amongst residents.” he said.

The 44th Logooli cultural festival under the theme “Komenya M’bugwi” which literary means “living (Komenya) in a new land occupancy (Vugwi) which means land acquired by Mulogooli in another locality other than his ancestral habitation in current Vihiga County attracted thousands of locals and invited guests from across the country and beyond including the Azerbaijan ambassador to Kenya Sultan Hajiyev.

By OPCS Press Service

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Mudavadi said that there had been a multi sectorial and political agreement on the rebuilding of Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) and any attempts to halt the process using courts was misguided.

Speaking at the launch of the Information and Communication Technologies Digital Hub and Digital Economy Conference at Kakamega County Polytechnic Mudavadi said President William Ruto and former Prime minister Raila Odinga had agreed for the creation of the IEBC and wondered why some politicians were keen on scuttling the process.

“Majority of the leaders and Kenyans are keen on a new commission and led by President Ruto and Raila have agreed, but there are a few leaders who are hellbent on seeing the country without the election body, their move is driven by malice,” said Mudavadi.

He called on the leaders at had gone to court some using proxies to drop the cases and have the country get a new leadership for the IEBC.

“Apart from any by elections, there is also the need for the country to begin the review of boundaries ahead of the elections,” said Mudavadi.

Mudavadi called on leaders to work had and implement their manifestos in the remaining two year noting the electorates will make their decision based on the remain 24 Months.

“We have already finished two years and there is another two before the electorates make the final decision,there no leader should waste time on unnecessary bickering and empty politics,” said Mudavadi.

He said that the Kenya Kwanza government was on the right track trying to improve the livelihood of Kenya and the country’s economy.

Mudavadi”s issue on the IEBC, echoed by Kakamega governor Fernandez Barassa who called on the need tor the recommend.

During the meeting Mudavadi said the government had put 22000 government services online and noted that he would consider having the recruitment of police be done online as the first stage.

“In the spirit of transparency, we will have the first stage of police recruitment through a digital platforms to cut off middlemen who were making money from the recruitment process.

Mudavadi said also on the pipeline is the having Occurrence Book (OB) at the police done digitally to remove the possibility cases of people plucking pages with the reporting.

“We need to fully embrace online services on all fronts to ensure that we simplify how people work but also weed corruption through the interaction of paper work,” said Mudavadi.

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Mudavadi said their efforts have played a crucial role in stabilizing the Kenyan shilling against global currencies.

He said the government is working towards defining and adopting a clear and different strategy in forging a stronger partnership with the Kenyan Diaspora.

“If we go into numbers, you have surpassed coffee, tea and even our horticulture. Basically, Kenyans in the diaspora are very key in stabilizing the rate of the shilling against hard currencies. If Kenyans in the diaspora slightly slide from the trajectory we are in, then inflation can be a problem back home,” noted Mudavadi.

Mudavadi said this when he met the Kenyan Diaspora in Namibia, on the first day of his official visit.

“We are now looking on more serious aspects of even working on the diaspora bond. Earlier it was mooted but numbers in terms of the resource-base had not reached a threshold that could make a powerful statement if you went for the diaspora bond.”

“But today the figures indicate that Kenya is now ripe for a diaspora bond, where you can help in investing in key infrastructure whether it is the roads, hospitals or institutions that matter and have a serious impact on the people,” he added.

Statistics indicate that money sent home by Kenyans living abroad continued on a growth trajectory to hit a record Sh671 billion (US$4.19 billion) in 2023, significantly boosting the country’s current account balance amid falling export revenue.

Mudavadi encouraged the diaspora to actively engage in shaping the upcoming Diaspora Policy Paper, soon to be tabled in Parliament, by sharing their insights and proposals through Kenya’s High Commissions and embassies.

“We have had Kenya’s foreign policy sometimes on paper but one thing has never quiet happened that it has never been owned by the people of Kenya directly since it has been the preserve of the executive. We in the process of now working on a sessional paper on Kenya’s foreign policy which we want to take to parliament so that Kenyans can debate and have a bigger say in what they believe should be their foreign policy.”

Kenyans living and working in Namibia called on the government to step up efforts for the introduction of direct flights between Nairobi and Windhoek.

They said if there are any protocol or security bottlenecks that need to be untangled, key negotiations need to be fast-tracked by the two sides.

Led by the chair of their association Dan Mule, they said the introduction of direct flights will help boost the growth of business and investments between Kenya and Namibia thus largely contributing to the growth of Kenya’s GDP.

“Direct flights will open many opportunities that remain untapped. When we have exports like tea coming direct from Kenya to Namibia, it is a sign of potential growth in our export market,” said Mule.

They also raised a number of concerns on the need for a more streamlined process for passport renewals, efficient and within a shorter time.

Mudavadi underscored the government’s unwavering commitment to supporting and strengthening ties with the Kenyan Diaspora.

Mudavadi said the diaspora community plays a pivotal role in shaping policies that benefit both Kenya and its global citizens.

“The issues you have raised are fundamental, we are ready to receive them once consolidated on what you think should form part of the Kenyan foreign policy going forward, so that we start a new chapter amongst other issues you have raised,” he acknowledged.

He urged the Kenyan Diaspora in Namibia to continue supporting the government’s agenda aimed at strengthening the working ties between the government and the diaspora community in various spheres of livelihood.

The Kenyans living and working in Namibia who met Mudavadi were drawn from diverse sectors, including health, education, business, and diplomacy, among others.

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The exercise is set staff Tuesday, September 10 and run until Saturday, September 14, a statement said.

The OPCS, through the National Government Coordination Secretariat (NGCS), is tasked with overseeing the process, which will begin in Eastern and Coast regions.

The validation will then expand to cover the remaining regions: North Eastern, Nairobi, Central, Rift Valley, Nyanza and Western.

In a statement on Monday, September 9, NGCS Communications Director Andrew Teyie said the aim of the verification is to assess the progress of high-impact projects initiated during the 2023/2024 Financial Year.

Officials from ministries, departments and state agencies will be involved, with teams identifying potential challenges affecting service delivery.

Key projects to be evaluated in the first phase include the completion of the Kenya Leather Industrial Park in Machakos County, expansion of cotton production and the construction of affordable housing units.

According to the plan, cotton acreage is expected to increase from 26,000 to 200,000 acres, with seeds being provided in Tharaka Nithi, Kitui, Meru and Mtwapa.

County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) are also on the agenda, with facilities in Lunga Lunga, Kwale and other counties.

Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Athi River and Dongo Kundu will be assessed for completion.

Housing projects, including 4,118 units in Moke Gardens, Machakos and 1,582 units in Mombasa’s Mzizima Estate, are also part of the verification.

Other infrastructure initiatives, including roads and technical vocational education expansion, are also lined up for review.

The exercise, according to the NGCS, is designed to ensure the smooth execution of projects and identify bottlenecks.

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Mudavadi said a research reactor will also be commissioned by early 2030s in an initiative that begins in 2027 and aims to increase energy capacity, reduce CO2 emissions, and create significant job opportunities, boosting economic growth.

“Kenya is committed to leading in clean energy. Kenya focused on advancing nuclear technology as part of Kenya’s sustainable energy strategy,” said Mudavadi.

Speaking after meeting with William D. Magwood, IV, Director-General of the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) at his Railways office, Mudavadi appreciated NEA’s mentorship of young Kenyans in STEM.

He highlighted the importance of ongoing collaboration.

Their discussion focused on advancing nuclear technology as part of Kenya’s sustainable energy strategy and aligns with NEA’s leadership goals to integrate atomic energy into our clean energy mix.

Key areas include deploying Small Modular Reactor technology, enhancing research, and building institutional sustainability.

Mudavadi said the government was keen to strengthen partnership with NEA for Kenya’s long-term energy and development goals.

“As we move forward, this collaboration will play a vital role in the successful implementation of our nuclear energy program, contributing to the nation’s prosperity and sustainability,” said Mudavadi.

In addition, Kenya will host the 2nd edition of the US-Africa Nuclear Energy Summit (USANES) from August 27-30.

The summit will assess the industry’s readiness for nuclear energy adoption in Africa and seek to address concerns hindering nuclear power adoption in the region.

It aims to bolster existing relationships and establish new ones to reinforce cooperation in the nuclear energy sector while underscoring the opportunities nuclear power presents to achieve Net Zero by 2050.

Participants will include policymakers, technical experts, and industry leaders, engaging in educational workshops, stakeholder engagement sessions, and multilateral discussions on topics such as financing, workforce development, and supply chain preparedness.

The first summit was held in Ghana by the US Department of Energy (DOE) in collaboration with the Nuclear Power Institute (NPI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission.

The Accra summit focused on fostering international cooperation on nuclear technology, sharing innovative solutions, and shaping policies.

President William Ruto, during his state visit to the US in May,  and his counterpart President Joe Biden held discussions centered on partnership on clean energy and resilience, including deepening US-Africa nuclear industry cooperation.

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Ng’etich will replace Salim Swaleh who was arrested and prosecuted for aiding fraudsters to defraud foreigners.

Ng’etich has been a long-serving political writer at the Standard where he was a senior political reporter.

Insiders said Ng’etich reported to his new station last week. He on Wednesday shared statements from the office.

Ng’etich, has been a long friend to Mudavadi.

He is escaping the financial challenges being experienced at his former employer.

Swaleh was among those arrested for alleged involvement in corruption activities.

The ministry said the arrests followed a tipoff that alerted OPCS-MFDA security, who then mounted intense surveillance at the OPCS-MFDA Railways Office to disrupt the reported nefarious acts of impersonation and misuse of the facility by the fraudsters.

They would individually gain entrance into the Railways Building where Mudavadi’s office is located, on different dates and times by falsifying their identities (as VIP guests or government officers), and the officers they purported to be visiting.

The victims were mainly foreigners who would be shepherded into the Railways Building ostensibly to meet high-ranking government officers for favours in exchange for bribes.

A Nairobi court last Wednesday directed Swaleh to take a plea.

Swaleh is accused of Sh5.8 million fraud.

Milimani Chief Magistrate Bernard Ochoi slated the matter on August 21, after lawyer Dunstan Omari made an application to have Swaleh and four other accused persons appear next week for plea taking following the Director of Public Prosecution’s decision to charge them.

Prosecutor James Gachoka on August 5, told the court that the accused persons wrote to the DPP seeking to have the charges levelled against them reviewed.

The court was told that the DPP was pursuing the file following ‘new evidence availed’ to him.

“We shall be seeking that they be allowed to appear before the plea court next week so that they would have arraigned themselves for that plea,” Omari told the court.

Omari accused the DPP of failing to notify the defense in advance, arguing that while they did not have the capacity to challenge the DPP’s decision, they were still entitled to be informed beforehand.

“It is the duty of the state to inform an accused person or a suspect the exact date time and court for plea taking,” the court was told.

He further asked the court to allow the miscellaneous file to remain active and to set a specific date for the suspects to appear before the plea court to ensure they have adequate time to prepare before taking their plea.

According to the charge sheet, Japolo Otieno, Terry Kemunto, Daniel Omondi, Salim Swaleh and John Wabomba are alleged to have conspired to defraud Sh5.8 million from a consultancy company.

The offense is said to have been committed on diverse dates between June 4, 2014, and June 22, 2014, at the Prime Cabinet Secretary’s office, specifically at the office of the Director of Press Services, within Nairobi county.

“The five jointly with others not before court conspired to defraud $45,000 equivalent to Sh5.8 million from an engineering consultancy company, by falsely pretending that you were in a position to secure tender for construction of two stadia in Kenya, a fact you knew to be false,” reads the charge sheet in part.

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Mudavadi said the unrest should serve as a reminder that no country can prosper in the absence of peace.

He urged Kenyans to remain peaceful and united as the government addresses the key reforms needed in the country.

He emphasized that economic transformation can only be achieved in an environment where citizens are hardworking, the leadership is focused and the rule of law is being followed.

“What we have experienced as a result of raising our concerns as citizens turned out to be actions that led to loss of lives and property. Businesses suffered losses and lives of many Kenyans were disrupted, making our country lag behind on the key agenda towards prosperity.”

“These are scenes that should not manifest in a country where citizens embrace democracy and obedience to the rule of law,” he added.

Mudavadi appealed to Kenyans to exercise patience and tolerance saying whenever differences arise, there should be better ways of engaging without resolving to unpeaceful and unlawful actions.

“We need to reflect and agree that we have incurred huge losses as a result of what happened. Some life savings have been drowned by the chaos leaving families vulnerable,” said Mudavadi.

“Patriotism should come first as we do not have any other Kenya apart from the Kenya that we are in today. We should not be perpetrators of destroyed the heritage of our nation and the future of the generations to come.”

Mudavadi was speaking in Nturukuma, Laikipia County where he joined Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua during the funeral service of the late Susan Muthoni Wanjohi, the mother to Secretary to Cabinet Mercy Wanjau.

Also present were Governor Joshua Irungu (Laikipia), Cabinet Secretary Nominees Alice Wahome, Rebecca Miano and Soipan Tuya, former Treasury CS Prof Njuguna Ndung’u among other leaders.

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In a gazette notice dated July 11, Ruto announced that Mudavadi will assume the responsibilities of Cabinet Secretaries across all ministries.

“That pursuant to Article 152 (5) (a) of the Constitution, Hon. Wycliffe Musalia Mudavadi, E.G.H., is assigned as the Acting Cabinet Secretary in all vacant ministerial portfolios,” the gazette notice reads.

The president also gazetted the dismissal of all cabinet secretaries and rescinded the appointment of Justin Muturi as Attorney General.

“That in accordance with Article 152 (5) (b) of Constitution, the Cabinet Secretaries listed below have be dismissed from office as stated,” the notice reads.

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Mudavadi made the revelations in a special diplomatic appraisal addressed to Kenya’s international partners, communicating the Thursday dismissal of Cabinet Secretaries by Ruto and ongoing government reforms.

Ruto dissolved the Cabinet following days of protests over poor governance among others.

“In particular, the President will be meticulous to ensure that the nominees he proposes for the Cabinet are individuals of exceptional competence and integrity.”

“The President is committed to extending the length and breadth of public participation within the spirit of having a cooperative and diverse governance structure to achieve equity and inclusivity across social status, ages, genders and communities,” he said.

Mudavadi informed Kenya’s international partners of Ruto’s ongoing endeavour to engage in extensive consultations across the board to consolidate a broad-based government.

Ruto mooted the idea of the broad-based government when he dissolved the Cabinet, noting that the deliberations would assist him in accelerating and expediting the necessary, urgent and irreversible, implementation of radical programmes to deal with the burden of debt, raising domestic resources and expanding job opportunities, among other issues.

“The main objective is to fortify national unity, peace, and prosperity while ensuring that the Executive arm of the National Government is further streamlined to reflect the aspirations of the citizens and align with our Administration’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” said Mudavadi.

The dialogue is expected to start next week amid pressure and resistance.

“Let me reiterate the President’s declaration that the operations of the government, including diplomatic processes, will continue uninterrupted under the guidance of Principal Secretaries and other relevant officials. We thank our international partners for sustained cooperation and request for continued support as His Excellency reorganizes the National Government to more effectively drive the transformational agenda of the Government.”

There is anxiety over the planned changes in government following the anti tax protests since June.

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Salim Swaleh, who serves as the Director of the Press service at the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary (OPCS) was among those arrested for alleged involvement in corruption activities.

“Those arrested include Salim Swaleh, Director of OPCS Press Service, in whose office the swindlers were found nested with fake door switch-nametags,” read a statement from the ministry.

The ministry said the arrests followed a tipoff that alerted OPCS-MFDA security, who then mounted intense surveillance at the OPCS-MFDA Railways Office to disrupt the reported nefarious acts of impersonation and misuse of the facility by the fraudsters.

Security officials tracked a group masquerading as visitors.

They would individually gain entrance into the Railways Building where Mudavadi’s office is located, on different dates and times by falsifying their identities (as VIP guests or government officers), and the officers they purported to be visiting.

The victims were mainly foreigners who would be shepherded into the Railways Building ostensibly to meet high-ranking government officers for favours in exchange for bribes, the statement said.

The secretary strategic communication at the ministry Peter Warutere said OPCS-MFDA is a central player in Whole-of-Government delivery of the anti-corruption policy, given its fulcrum as Kenya’s international image maker.

He said a cabal of fraudsters and government officers who facilitated their operations at OPCS-MFDA at Kenya Railways building were arrested Saturday June 22, 2024.

“Further investigations by relevant law enforcement agencies are ongoing to track and arrest other conspirators who may have been involved.”

“The arrests followed a tipoff that alerted OPCS-MFDA security, who then mounted intense surveillance at the OPCS-MFDA Railways Office to disrupt the reported nefarious acts of impersonation and misuse of the facility by the fraudsters,” he said. 

Warutere said the surveillance involved tracking a group masquerading as visitors. “They would individually gain entrance into the Railways Building on different dates and times by falsifying their identities (as VIP guests or Government Officers), and the officers they purported to be visiting.”

“Their victims were mainly foreigners who would be shepherded into the Railways Building ostensibly to meet high ranking Government officers for favours in exchange of bribes,” he added. 

The surveillance was able to also track and identify their co-conspirators, among

them Government officers who facilitated their dastardly activities.

Those arrested

He said the swindlers were found nested in Swalleh’s office with fake door switch-nametags.

“Apparently, Government officers arrested had perfected “renting” office space to criminals by either vacating their offices for the fraudsters use, or deceptively misrepresenting themselves.”

“This deception also meant switching legitimate name tags with fake ones on office doors to advance the scams,” he said.

He added the group had the audacity of attempting to bribe their way out.

“As deterrence, government institutions are hereby cautioned to vet and oust disreputable government officers abetting such criminal activity which appears pervasive due to lax securing of government institutions and a growing appetite for quick money by public officers.”

Those arrested were detained ahead of arraignment on Monday, police said.

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