This archive report was first published on 12 July 2019.
December 22, 2017, marked a day when many Kenyans took to social media to mock Dr. Alfred Mutua, the Governor of Machakos County, after a tweet by Donald Kipkorir highlighted the shoddy job being done by the Governor in development projects.
However, Jectone Oyoo, a keen observer, decided to look beyond the mockery and examine the recent developments in the case challenging Gov. Mutua's reelection by Ms. Wavinya Ndeti.
It is worth noting that the Governor has embarked on several road constructions, but the quality of these projects has been questionable. The earlier road constructed by the county was awash with pathetic pictures of potholes barely a month after its completion.
Furthermore, recent happenings have shown that bridges are falling after being commissioned, and houses are collapsing due to non-compliance with regulations. These are serious economic crimes that should be punished accordingly and not just mocked.
As a society, we must ask ourselves if we have gotten used to lower standards, making it the new normal. Where are the road construction regulators to look at the quality of these works?
Methinks there is more than meets the eye in this case. Is the Governor preparing for the worst-case scenario and trying to leave office with a loot in case his election is nullified? If we are a serious society, then there must be more than comedy in this discussion touching on his mantra of 'maendeleo chap chap.'
It could mean that he doesn't follow procurement procedures, which does not bode well for the nation as other Governors might be tempted to business engineer these bad practices. We must act and question the need for this haste and nip it in the bud. It is simply bad manners.
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