KENYANS ARE IN THE STATE OF SHOCK AS A MOTOR VEHICLE ASSIGNED TO A MINISTER IS INTERCEPTED BY POLICE FULLY LOADED WITH ILLICIT BHANG DESTINED FOR NAIROBI.
Reports Leo Odera Omolo In Rongo Town.
RESIDENTS of this small, fast growing town in Southern Nyanza are still in a state of shock, as the news spreads through the villages, that police in the area had on Sunday intercepted a Kenya government vehicle, assigned to an Assistant Minister for Finance, fully loaded with unusual consignment of illicit cannabis sativa, commonly known as bhang.
The vehicle, a sleek Prado, was assigned to the Finance Assistant Minister Dr. Oburu Oginga, who was not in the vehicle at the time it was intercepted by the police at Kamagambo.
The Minister, who is the elder brother of the Prime Minister, Raila Odinga, could not be reached for comment as he is said to have traveled abroad in a government delegation to the far East, led by the Prime Minister.
But sources from eye witnesses told this writer that most drivers of VIPs, particularly those whose bosses are fond of traveling to Western Kenya using Nairobi- Kisumu flight to and from during the weekends, with instruction to their drivers to drive by road, for connection either in Nairobi or in Kisumu, have been engaged in illicit trade of ferrying either Bhang or “Chang’a”, without the knowledge of their bosses.
It is being alleged that this has been a booming trade, and that some of the VIP’s drivers involved in this racket have enriched themselves, and even managed to buy sleek private cars for their families, or bought Matatus.
Dr. Oburu Oginga’s driver, who hails from Migori district, is alleged to have perfected this kind of illicit trade in outlawed drugs, which he usually ferries from Migori to Nairobi. He would usually drop his boss at Kisumu airport for the evening Nairobi flight, then he would quickly branch off to Migori to pickup his consignment and then drive very fast to Nairobi, to be able to assume his government duties on Monday morning.
Their business has been thriving and booming for sometime, and the police had received the tip about deal. On the fateful date, which was Sunday morning, the police set the road block and caught the driver and the bodyguard while ferrying the full load of bhang by road in a GK vehicle. The two are still being detained by police as well as the vehicle at the time of writing this report.
It was not clear, however, as to which of the Minister’s bodyguards is detained with the driver. The Minister has two bodyguards, one a police constable assigned to him, and another one, who is a personal aide.
In Nairobi, the government has readily admitted that the vehicle in question intercepted by the police belongs to the Ministry of Finance. It is a pool vehicle, which is used by senior officials of the Ministry while on duty.
The police at Kamagambo have confirmed that the vehicle was intercepted at about 6.50 AM on Sunday morning, and that the driver and the Minister’s bodyguard are still being detained, and that the law would take its on course, meaning they would be arraigned in court soon.
The Ministry said that the GK Prado car was allocated by the Ministry to drive the Assistant Minister to Mau Forest in the South Rift region, to witness the tree planting.
But instead, the Assistant Minister flew to Mau in a light aircraft. He was later the same day (last Friday) picked up by the same vehicle at the Wilson Airport, upon his return from Kericho.
The next day, on Saturday evening, at about 11PM, he was driven to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport by the same driver, in the same vehicle, where he joined his younger brother on a foreign trip.
“The vehicle therefore was not authorized by the Ministry, for the driver in question to drive to South Nyanza, where the police intercepted it, without the Minister’s knowledge” said a Finance Ministry official.
During the 2007 general election, a vehicle which belonged to the then Assistant Minister, Raphael Wanjala, was intercepted and detained by the Nakuru police while ferrying assorted kinds of weaponry from Nairobi to Western Kenya. Wanjala was not in the vehicle at the material time.
Those privy to information about the VIP’s drivers rackets have confided to us that VIPs vehicles have been seen in areas bordering Tanzania and Uganda, picking up bhang, and then transporting it to Nairobi under the cover of the official flag , without being stopped by the police, for the ready lucrative market in the city.
It is not clear as to why the official bodyguards of Ministers, who are policemen, have not informed the persons they are guarding, that their vehicles are being misused. It would seem to appear that the bodyguards have compromised, or are themselves in the thick and thin of the illicit trade.
Ends
leooderaomolo@yahoo.com
YOU ARE JOKING, AREN’T YOU?
I have read with disbelieve about the arrest of the vehicles assigned to Assistant MInister involved in a shady deal, portraying the rot in the GOK.
I noted with dismay that the driver could travel to Migori, way from his official duties and go unnoticed! This revelation clearly exposes the fact that there is absolutely no internal control and check system, put in place by the ministry of Finance, to catch such unauthorized trips. Such practices drain public coffers, in addition to engaging in high level of corruption using GOK facility!
I strongly recommend as a taxpayer that remedial steps be take by the ministry, to put in place strict rules and regulations, to eradicate similar types of criminal based corruption at high level in our state.
LEO,THANK YOU FOR A GOOD REPORTING.
Dr Joseph Aoll,
Prophet of God,
Anoiting Fire Centre
NJ, USA
I dont like these people who call themselves prophets of God. Many are just impostors who are in it for the money
The remedy is to sell off all government vehicles only leaving the president and the prime minister, the police and army with official vehicles.
The rest of civil servants should use their own cars and be paid predetermined allowances, and for official trips, hire from preselected reputable transport companies. This is what happens in some developed countries where ministers do not need to fly the flag in their vehicles. Flying the flag on a vehicle does not increase the amount of ugali on our tables.
The government does not need a large pool of vehicles, hence no need for many idle drivers who scheme evil schemes using state protected resources.
When you see people like William Ruto veering off his assigned ministerial duties to trot around the country, demonizing other leaders and even threatening to trot further, know that there is a loophole in the usage of government vehicles and transport system.
Stupid fool, fire on the spot.! It is time to build jails in Kenya so that all the stupid lawyers and corrupt fools can be placed in jail , where they can wake up at 4am and start building roads and working in the fields. We have so many people in our area that are just begging to go to jail….with the corruption and arrogance of a few people .
I think it is time that everyone started reporting the thieves and corrupt people, and clean up completely the courts and city council of Kisumu, and alert everyone that the jails are about to open. Then make everyone zero tolerance for stupidity.
The courts of Kisumu are littered with corrupt lawyers, so even if this driver was sent in, he would be out the next day doing the same thing in a different car.