Saturday, November 9, 2013
Friday, November 8, 2013
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Corridors of Power
PARLIAMENT
If you are wondering why MPs who are serving their second term have suddenly gone quiet, then worry no more. It is deliberate and they are making money. At least if two of them are to be believed. That is an answer the two gave a pesky first time MP, who sought to find out why the MPs are silent. The MPs, who were vocal members of the last parliament, dismissed the MP and curtly told him they regret having “wasted” their first term making unnecessary noise in the House in the name of ideals. They reminded the pesky MP that it is his time to “waste” his first term and allow them to make money.
===
Did a high court judge receive bribes from two opposing litigants in an election petition? Yesterday, a loser in one of the poll cases revealed to Corridors that he offered a judge a bribe on the promise that his election would be upheld. To his dismay the judge overturned his election, leaving him to conclude that his opponent offered a larger bribe to the judge.
===
A member of Nairobi county assembly threatened, and nearly shot one of his nominated colleagues, after an argument on an issue that remains unclear to other members. The matter has angered his colleagues so much that they want the man recalled for being a threat to peace. As a matter of fact the MCAs want his gun repossessed by the Inspector General of Police, David Kimaiyo.
===
A little bird has whispered to Corridors that one of the presidential candidates who lost in the last elections is just about to land a major parastatal job. The man, who has made a mess out of himself out of frustrations, has been lobbying the President’s men quietly and his prayers, we are told, have been answered. The man is expected to be given unspecified role in the LAPSSET project that is still under construction.
STATE HOUSE STAFF GO WITHOUT SALARIES
WELCOME: President Uhuru Kenyatta is received by his South African counterpart Jacob Zuma at the department of International Relations and Cooperation at OR Tambo Building in Pretoria for the joint SAdC-ICGLR Summit, yesterday.
ONE ON ONE:President Uhuru Kenyatta pays a courtesy call on his Tanzanian counterpart President Jakaya Kikwete on the sidelines of the SADC/ICGLR joint summit in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo/PSCU
NEW State House staff are struggling to survive months after taking up their new posts with the presidency. Staff who had previously not worked at State House are yet to get office space and official vehicles. Many are yet to get on the government payroll.
Previously staff working for the presidency were mostly based at the Office of the President on Harambee Avenue. However President Uhuru Kenyatta has now moved all operations relating to his office to State House.
Those affected include members of the Presidential Strategic Communication Unit and the Office of the First Lady who were previously based elsewhere in the city. PSCU members are said to be using their own computers to carry out state duties and drive to work in their own cars.
The President’s communication team is also reportedly working on a shoestring budget without have fully functioning and equipped offices.
Staff working for First Lady Margaret Kenyatta have also been forced to share the limited resources at State House after moving from the NHIF building.
Staff who were working at State House before Uhuru took over are apparently reluctant to allow the new staff to fully take charge of the operations.
One State House source revealed that the building has been neglected for years and many rooms cannot be used adequately for now. Some rooms are stashed with files dating back to the 1970s and Uhuru's team is now trying to free them up for office use.
There are plans to refurbish State House so that all staff have working space with more rooms open for use. The planned renovations are yet to kick off.
In the current budget, the seven State Houses and lodges across Kenya had been allocated Sh1.8 billion for recurrent and development expenditure. The repairs, routine maintenance and facelift of the buildings were to cost Sh300 million.
State House, then Government House, was built in 1907 to serve as the official residence of the Governor of British East Africa. Former Presidents Mzee Jomo Kenyatta and Daniel Moi preferred to stay in their private homes while Mwai Kibaki lived there but spent most of the day at Harambee House.
State House was so used to outsourcing food that the kitchen at the residence was only renovated after Uhuru took over power.It is yet to acquire a wireless internet connection because the National Intelligence Service says it is a security risk.
NIS says wireless internet would expose the President to hackers so State House still relies on cable connections. Uhuru cannot hold a video conference from State House because of slow internet connection, according to inside sources.
The Office of the President runs various accounts on social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook but the use of e-mail is yet to be accepted as an official means of communication.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
