Those who have met him will tell you that the burly Kieni MP is known to sweat a lot wherever he goes which is associated with his heavy drinking. But the truth is that at the moment Chris Murungaru is sitting pretty and poised to make a major contribution to the re-election bid of aging, ailing President Mwai Kibaki.
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Also published today;
Who is KissFm's Caroline Mutoko?
Your every move is being watched via Satellite, plus solid evidence on Anglo Leasing
The most valuable money-making secret from Coca Cola
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In fact his leaving the cabinet has not had the effect on him that it had on his former cabinet colleague Kiraitu Murungi who took to writing poems that portrayed his loneliness and feelings of betrayal and being left out of things. The poems must have been really powerful because they tagged at the President's heart who recently reappointed him to the cabinet and took him straight back to his old ministry of energy. This was quite something coming from a president who is known for taking ages to make any decision.
Hon Murungaru has used the time in-between his court appearances and battles with the Kenya Anti Corruption Commission to build on his immense wealth, which he will do everything in his power to avoid declaring or explaining how it was acquired. So how did a minister who was dodging auctioneers shortly before the 2002 polls become so wealthy, so suddenly? Did he open a chain of pharmacies (Dr Murungaru is a pharmacist) countrywide and use his image as one of the leading personalities in the original Narc to promote it. Nope?
Like all rich folks in this part of the world, his sudden wealth is shrouded in mystery. He has of course been linked to the massive Anglo Leasing scandal, actually he was the minister incharge of security when somebody put his hand into the Treasury cookie jar and emerged with billions.
But even more disturbing is the real reason why Hon Murungaru was slapped with a Visa ban by Britain. It is said that British Intelligence has irrevocable evidence that he met with drug lords while in London and you can be sure that the minister was not purchasing a quick fix for himself, he prefers alcoholic beverages (see my other story on the Western intelligence system that spies on everybody).
It is with this kind of background information that this writer found it extremely amusing when the Kieni MP told reporters recently that the President was not responsible for his downfall and that therefore he (Murungaru) was going to pull all stops to campaign for his re-election. The really amusing part of the interview was that the former minister emphasized that he was going to use all his POLITICAL resources (as opposed to financial resources) to campaign for the president. What did he mean? What are political resources? Everybody knows that the minister has some cash stashed away somewhere (and it is not a couple of millions), why else would he be so eager not to have to explain his wealth?
So here we are in a situation where the president's re-election bid is going to be at least partly financed by cash whose origins is shrouded in mystery. That is totally beside the point in Kenya. What really matters is what tribe the candidate is in relation to that of the voter. But the even more ludicrous part of it all is that the same voters will start complaining loudly about the shortcomings of the same government they have elected into power only a few months later.
Sometimes I wonder whether there is really any hope for Kenya. Or are we all who read this blog with hope, just dreamers?
The most valuable business secret from Coca Cola
Regular violent wife rape by a dutiful husband.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Who Is KissFM's Caroline Mutoko?
There is no argument over the fact that KissFm is the most popular radio station in Nairobi and every other urban center that it currently reaches. Synonymous with this radio station is one Caroline Mutoko, the main presenter of the station's morning breakfast show. Caroline has got to be the most popular radio presenter in the region and has become a major celebrity figure who is instantly recognizable everywhere she goes.
The story is told of how young Ms Mutoko was riding in a matatu when she heard that Capital Fm were looking for presenters. She presented herself and the rest is history.
Caroline "KissFm" Mutoko: Hon Martha Karua is familiar with this popular radio presenter
But even more interesting is the history of her current employers, KissFm. Launched during the Moi era, by one Henry Kwaku, a Ghanian who had already been successful in radio in Uganda and was looking to get a foothold in Kenya, the radio station was one of the first private ones to be licensed by the conservative, paranoid Moi regime. The truth is that in those days radio licenses were virtually impossible to get, so what shrewd Kwaku did was to partner with the influential Kittony family (or shall we say used them as fronts). With the right contacts and with Kwaku's deep knowledge on the true potential of radio—even alongside TV and Internet—the radio station has grown into a major powerhouse in the region.
Interestingly one of the other popular shows on the radio station is the political discussion forum aptly called Crossfire that Kwaku himself hosts on Sunday evenings. It is said that the participants receive Kshs 20,000 every time they make an appearance at the show.
But the main focus and driving force of the radio station remains the controversial Caroline Mutoko who has grown in leaps and bounds with the popular radio station. There is little doubt that she has learnt quickly from her mentor, Mr Kwaku.
Ironically the most memorable event involving Caroline was the time she got on the wrong side of Narc-Kenya Iron lady and Minister of Justice, Martha Karua. Nairobians really got excited and amused when in 2003, the Minister was carjacked at around midnight and the only person she was with at the time was one father Wamugunda. Caroline had a field day asking her eager listeners all sorts of hypothetical and hilarious rhetorical questions addressing the mystery as to what the minister may have been doing with the Catholic Father at that time of the night. Hon Karua does not take kindly to that kind of press coverage (ask Mburu Mucoki publisher of the Independent who has recently been sentenced to a jail term for a similar story he published on the Minister.)
Caroline suddenly found herself in the court corridors and faced with all sorts of restraining orders. "Respect me and I will respect you," Hon Karua is fond of telling journalists who dare attempt to bring up the issue of Father Wamugunda and the carjacking incident.
They say that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones and apparently Ms Mutoko has secret issues of her own which she would hate to be publicized, but I guess it all goes with her image and popularity.
The most valuable business secret from Coca Cola
Regular violent wife rape by a dutiful husband.
The story is told of how young Ms Mutoko was riding in a matatu when she heard that Capital Fm were looking for presenters. She presented herself and the rest is history.
Caroline "KissFm" Mutoko: Hon Martha Karua is familiar with this popular radio presenter
But even more interesting is the history of her current employers, KissFm. Launched during the Moi era, by one Henry Kwaku, a Ghanian who had already been successful in radio in Uganda and was looking to get a foothold in Kenya, the radio station was one of the first private ones to be licensed by the conservative, paranoid Moi regime. The truth is that in those days radio licenses were virtually impossible to get, so what shrewd Kwaku did was to partner with the influential Kittony family (or shall we say used them as fronts). With the right contacts and with Kwaku's deep knowledge on the true potential of radio—even alongside TV and Internet—the radio station has grown into a major powerhouse in the region.
Interestingly one of the other popular shows on the radio station is the political discussion forum aptly called Crossfire that Kwaku himself hosts on Sunday evenings. It is said that the participants receive Kshs 20,000 every time they make an appearance at the show.
But the main focus and driving force of the radio station remains the controversial Caroline Mutoko who has grown in leaps and bounds with the popular radio station. There is little doubt that she has learnt quickly from her mentor, Mr Kwaku.
Ironically the most memorable event involving Caroline was the time she got on the wrong side of Narc-Kenya Iron lady and Minister of Justice, Martha Karua. Nairobians really got excited and amused when in 2003, the Minister was carjacked at around midnight and the only person she was with at the time was one father Wamugunda. Caroline had a field day asking her eager listeners all sorts of hypothetical and hilarious rhetorical questions addressing the mystery as to what the minister may have been doing with the Catholic Father at that time of the night. Hon Karua does not take kindly to that kind of press coverage (ask Mburu Mucoki publisher of the Independent who has recently been sentenced to a jail term for a similar story he published on the Minister.)
Caroline suddenly found herself in the court corridors and faced with all sorts of restraining orders. "Respect me and I will respect you," Hon Karua is fond of telling journalists who dare attempt to bring up the issue of Father Wamugunda and the carjacking incident.
They say that people who live in glass houses should not throw stones and apparently Ms Mutoko has secret issues of her own which she would hate to be publicized, but I guess it all goes with her image and popularity.
The most valuable business secret from Coca Cola
Regular violent wife rape by a dutiful husband.
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