Anyone notice the eye-popping bail figures posted by governors who are charged in the Kenyan courts? Wonder where all that money comes from?
A call to investigative journalists: follow the money! See where the trail leads you.
Plenty of cases out there to work with:
Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki was granted a Sh6 million cash bail September 9, after being charged with corruption in a Sh34.7 million scandal in his county, media reported.
A week before that, Migori Governor Obado, also facing corruption charges in a Sh73 million misappropriation case, was freed on a Sh8.75 million bail or Sh20 million bond, according to media reports.
Obado’s son Dan Acholla was reportedly freed on Sh2 million bail, daughter Scarlet Susan Sh3 million bail or Sh6 million bond, son Zachary Okoth Sh2 million or Sh4 million bond and daughter Evelyne Adhiambo Sh2 million or Sh4 million bond.
Are you counting? How many zeroes in the Obado family alone?
Last December, media reported that Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, also facing corruption charges, posted a bond of Sh30 million with one surety of a similar amount and cash bail of Sh15 million.
And in Samburu, Governor Moses Lenolkulal was in April 2019 released on a cash bail of Sh100 million or Sh150 million bond after denying charges of corruption and abuse of office.
In the big picture, the Nation reported July 29, 2018 that 30 sitting and former governors face corruption charges. None is in prison or jail.
But let’s stick with these moneys that free governors from jail. Is this money on paper or real money that you can count and stash in a Canter truck? Would it be available to any public servant, say, a Mr Kantai who is toiling away behind a desk in Oloitokitok?
Here is the what doesn’t add up.
In 2017 the Kenya Salaries and Remuneration Commission gazetted that a governor’s gross salary is Sh924,000. (Never mind why a governor in a developing country should make more or the same as governors of the US states of Maine, Colorado, Arizona and Alaska!)
So, where do Kenyan governors get all those cash for bail? Just asking.
