Writes Leo Odera Omolo

A private security providing firm, which is closely associated with the family of the former ODM Cabinet Minister, is allegedly minting thousands of shillings from the cash-strapped SonySugar Company.

The firm which is called Gillis Security Guard has over 100 security guards, who are protecting the company premises, property and cane farms within Awendo Town and its environs. The sugar firm is coffing out its coffers a cool Kshs 17,000 per head of each guard per month.

However, reports reaching us from various sources in Awendo says, the firm is only paying the guards the peanut of between Kshs 5,000 and Ksha 7,000 while pocketing the rest.

The same sources have told us that

each security dog is minting Kshs 27,000 per month for its maintenance, while the dog’s handlers are taking home just peanuts.

The firm is closely associated by the former Energy Minister George Ochillo-Ayacko,and it was in roaring business during Ayacko tenure as the Energy Minister winning lucrative tenders from nearly all the parastatal organizations under the Eneregy Ministry such as Ken-gen and KPL, up –to-date it is still providing security services to those firms.

Its interest in Awendo zone is under the local manager called John Walter Odhiambo Sirawa,alias John Walter Owino Ogur “Odari”. Who has since declared his interest in contesting the newly created Awendo parliamentary constituency

Awendo constituency is one among the 80 extra parliamentary constituencies which were created by the IEBC and later endorsed by an act of parliament. Its electoral areas are covering several administrative locations which included Sakwa West, Sakwa Central, Sakwa North, Sakwa South and Sakwa East.

Members of the cane farming fraternity are up in arms questioning the exorbitant payment for the security guards from this firm, alleging that its charges are too excessive from the perennially financially ailing sugar millers.

The farmers wants the matter to be investigated by a competent government investigation institution so as to establish how this firm had secured tender to provide the sugar mill with its guards and as to whether there were element of political connotation involved .

It has also been established that the second name of the security company is believed to have been faked. He true and real John Walter Owino Ogur [Hodari} who is ma close cousin of John Walter Sirawa is a deceased person.

Our investigations have revealed that the real Owino Ogur (hodari} was once a to student at the nearby Manyatta Secondary School where he passed his {O} level with flying color, and was later admitted to one of the High Schools to study for his {A} level certificate, but died while in the Form Five. The deceased died around 19887.

The current bearer of the same name John Walter Sirawa is believed to have studied up to upper primary standard seven at a local school called Ombasa Primary School, which is also located in Sakwa West Location and did not go beyond. That.

Sirawa it is being alleged to have fake the deceased academic certificate and used it to secure entry into the police force, but deserted and left the force in huff after the word went round that the force was actively investigating his academic background to escape punishment. He was later employed as a watchman by the Gillies Security Guard.

All the revelation of the startling and shocking information come into the surface after Sirawa who is now the top manager of the security firm guarding the property of the Awendo Sugar miller had declared his interest in contesting the Awendo parliamentary seat.

He is actively campaigning for the seat and is believed to have already deposited substantial amount of money with the ODM headquarters in Nairobi as one of the aspirants vying for the Awendo .parliamentary seat.

The allegations have sparked off the bitter complaints from other aspirants vying for the same seat who have expressed fears that the ODM headquarters could easily pass the applications from one who is armed with fake academic certificates.

The aspirants have called on the ODM to conduct a thorough investigation on all the applications submitted by aspirants vying for the various elective positions within the County governance, national assembly, Sanate and governorship.

The Awendo parliamentary seat has attracted other aspirants who included the former top KRA manager Jude Ayieko, who hails from Sakwa South, the Principal of Gamba high School Fred Otieno Kopiyo, Erick Oyoo, who is an executive with an international NGO Joseph Owuor who is the PA to the Public Service Manager Dalmas Otieno who hails from Central Sakwa, Lameck Okoth from Sakwa East ad Dr. Abwao from Sakwa West

The real bruising election battle is expected to be a two horse race between Eric Oyoo and Fred Kopiyo. Both are university graduate with high profile.

The ODM is the dominant party whose flag bearer is expect to carry the day after its preliminaries, and the electorate have appealed to the party not to allow anybody with fake academic certificate to pass the party’s nomination test and that the academic certificates of the aspirants should be thoroughly scrutinized with double checking’s.

Ends