Aasai

FORMER Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu has revealed the reasons behind his sacking from the government. Mr Machogu, who unsuccessfully contested the Kisii gubernatorial seat in the 2022 general election, was among the ministers who were not reinstated following protests by Gen Z youths, who were complaining about poor leadership. The protests began in June last year and intensified in July. 

After a year of rants since his sacking, the former Nyaribari MP Masaba has claimed he was instigated by President William Ruto to be sacked. Speaking on Monday while attending the funeral of Esther Kemunto — mother of former Nyaribari Chache MP Richard Nyagaka Tongi in Amariba Village, Mr Machogu vowed revenge against the MPs for slandering him when he was a minister.

 At another funeral last week in Nyamira County, the former minister claimed the MPs sought favours from him while he was heading the budget-rich ministry but he refused. “When I was heading the Ministry of Education, some MPs from this area, sought me out to award them tenders through improper means in the ministry. As you know, Machogu does not like shortcuts and I told them to follow due process.

 They were not happy with that and that is when they hatched a conspiracy and campaign to ensure that I was removed from the cabinet,” Mr Machogu said on Friday last week at Menyenya Primary School, during the funeral of Mrs Catherine Nyamato, who was the first woman from the Abagusii community to be appointed to the national parliament. He called President William Ruto a liar and asked his Kisii allies to send him a report that he had officially joined the “Wantam” faction. Mr Machogu said President Ruto’s days were numbered, saying Kenyans would oust him in the next general election. “Wilbaro is no longer working. It has broken down. 

I was the face of Wilbaro Gusii but I am gone now. Wilbaro has now become scrap metal,” the former minister said. Mr Machogu slammed the governments women and youth empowerment initiatives, saying the events were humiliating these groups due to their low income levels. "When we told you we are uplifting you, did we mean we should take government money and give it to you? After all, you are people worth Sh64 each? That is like throwing it at you," Mr Machogu told the residents of Nyamira. 

He called on the Abagusii community to unite behind former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi, who has declared his intention to run for president in 2027. "Now we have our son Dr Fred Matiangi. Please let us all unite behind him. We will not repeat the mistakes we made. We have even united with Professor Sam Ongeri and we want to start uniting our people," Mr Machogu said.