This archive report was first published on 5 July 2019.
On the 50th anniversary of her father's assassination, Susan Mboya penned an op-ed criticizing politicians who become instant billionaires after entering public service.
Tom Mboya, a former Kenyan politician, was killed outside a pharmacy in Nairobi's CBD on July 5, 1969.
Reflecting on her father's legacy, Susan lamented the current state of politics in Kenya, describing it as a far cry from the era of dedicated public servants.
“In those days, one became a politician to dedicate their life to the service of the country. A politician was a patriot and these words could be used interchangeably. But I find the latter much easier to use on my father. He was a patriot, not just a politician. Today, not every politician can be called a patriot!”
She accused modern politicians of being incompetent, uncivil, and corrupt, with some accumulating obscene wealth from inexplicable sources.
“Some have acquired obscene, unimaginable wealth from inexplicable sources. A person who has never held a job or owned a business suddenly becomes a billionaire within a five-year term, which is not possible on their salary,”
Notably, Susan's husband, Evans Kidero, is facing graft-related charges, with state agencies accusing him of corruptly acquiring wealth during his tenure as Nairobi county boss.
