Kenya Urban Roads Authority Director General Eng. Silas Kinoti has suffered a major blow following the ouster of Kiambu Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa as the chairperson of the lucrative Senate Roads and Transport Committee.
Kinoti was allegedly lobbying through the ousted Senator and had infiltrated the Roads Committee in attempts to maintain his powerful position at the Roads agency and eventually take over the yet-to be merged agencies.
It’s instructive to note that Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) and Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA) are set to be merged to form one agency as Kenya Roads Board undergoes restructuring, according to a recent dispatch by the cabinet.
These turn of events therefore put KeRRA Director General Phillemon Kandie as Eng.Kinoti’s main competitor in the race to become overall DG after the two authorities are merged.
State House Connections…
Whereas Kandie is said to be lobbying through State House operatives, Eng. Kinoti majorly banked his hopes on the roads committee, through the ousted former Chairman, at least according to sources.
The ousted Thang’wa is among the allies of former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua affected in the latest radical purge moves to the National Assembly as well as Senate.
The changes come even as it emerged that President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza wing has offered ODM chairmanship of five standing (sectoral) committees in the National Assembly.
Already, Raila Odinga’s allies have chair and vice chairmanship of two oversight committees. Sources say that Kandie is likely to be favoured in the race against Kinoti based on the prevailing current political factor and the fact that the KURA boss was set to complete his constitutional term in office mid this year.
