Power is transient and some former politicians will be starring at a hard time outside power, connections and influence.
Take, for example, immediate former Member of National Assembly for Embakasi West George Theuri whose construction of the Umoja 1 Primary School swimming pool raised eyebrows.
The MP who started his political journey as a church-loving councillor (former name for MCA) was caught flat footed by this scandal.
In the 2015/2016 Financial year, the Auditor General Edward Ouko noted that contracts for three construction projects and a youth training were procured through restricted tendering.
These are Umoja 1 Primary School swimming pool (Sh18,893,518), three classrooms at Supa Loaf Primary School (Sh8,070,944) and driving classes for Embakasi youth at Top Gear Driving School (Sh9,580,000).
During the audit by Mr Ouko’s office, no documentary evidence was produced to support restricted tendering, as spelled in law.
The time and cost required to examine and evaluate a large number of tenders would be disproportionate to the value of the goods, works or services to be procured; and if there is evidence that there are only a few known suppliers of the whole market of the goods, works or services.
Mr Ouko raised questions about the cost and value of these projects.
And the Concern Citizens Kenya, a lobby group in Embakasi West Constituency, also wrote to the anti-corruption watchdog (EACC) over the matter.
The local watchdog wanted the use of Sh18 million on the pool investigated.
The case went cold since it is hard to try a sitting Kenyan politician.
Many residents that we spoke to say the swimming pool is not value for money.
