Vicious machinations to maliciously nail Kisumu City Manager Abala Wanga

It is now clear that recent allegations of impropriety against Mr. Abala Wanga, the Kisumu City Manager, reeks of an insidious and malicious scheme orchestrated by political rivals in the Gem Constituency MP contest. Their sole aim is to besmirch Abala Wanga's otherwise exemplary achievements in restoring order, hygiene and urban best practices in the management of Kisumu City.

Regrettably, institutions such as the EACC which ought to be custodians of due process seem to have been manipulated to advance through social media, tabloids and bogey bloggers a false narrative against the City Manager. There seems to be a vicious effort funded by known political players and buoyed by the support of corrupt Kisumu city cartels, rogue business mandarins and lackey politicians angling for the Gem MP seat in the 2027 contest.

Mr. Wanga, a clear front runner on the ODM ticket is a marked man for character assassination both in the city and his home constituency, Gem where he has set pace with a new development agenda.

A firm mentee who has gone through a veritable tutelage of the acclaimed Kisumu County Governor. Prof. Peter Anyang Nyong'o, Mr. Wanga's work in transforming Kisumu, improving sanitation, and driving development projects has earned him accolades as an astute urban planner, which seemingly is a significant threat factor. 

His notable achievements as the Kisumu City Manager recently earned him an award from the Africa Foundation as the Best Urban manager, milestones which include:

- *Urban Renewal*: Kisumu City has undergone significant transformation, earning recognition as the cleanest city in Kenya, with improved sanitation and infrastructure.

- *Waste Management*: Wanga has spearheaded initiatives to improve waste management strategies, including licensing waste collectors and relocating the Kachok dumpsite.

- *Infrastructure Development*: The city is working on affordable housing projects and implementing the Kisumu City Local Physical and Land Use Development Plan (LPLUDP).

- *Sustainable Mobility*: Plans are underway to transition to electric buses, promote non-motorized transport, and develop pedestrian-friendly walkways and cycle tracks.

- *Leadership*: Wanga has been elected National Chairman of the Municipalities and City Managers Caucus, recognizing his leadership and commitment to sustainable urban developmen.

These enviable accolades have rubbed his rivals the wrong way and challenged vested interests who sought to maintain a status quo of corruption, ineptitude and gate keeping in the management of the City affairs. 

Having driven significant transformation including urban renewal, improved waste management, and infrastructure development, it is no wonder that his detractors are orchestrating his tribulations as revealed by credible sources.

It is worth noting that sources reveal these allegations to have been maliciously crafted by EACC investigation officers under pressure and direction from known city and political cartels desperate to character assassinate Mr. Abala. 

We have information on a Kisumu blogger cum media extortionist who was paid and influenced to exert pressure on the CEO and Chairman of EACC through daily blogs, mails and unnecessary whistle blowing letters to have Mr. Abala arraigned in court on trumped up charges and effect upon him a technical knockout out of the MP contest. 

Local politicians and city cartels have been spotted and recorded making suspicious visits to the CEO of EACC aiming to exert pressure on this scheme. 

According to Mr. Abala Wanga's Lawyer, Senior Counsel Steve Ogola, legal action can easily be taken against EACC and its personnel for defamatory acts and misrepresentation of facts against Abala Wanga. On one hand, the EACC publicised an issue of facilitating a female friend using county money to travel to Lagos while on the other hand, what is in the charge sheet are totally different. By this, the EACC have exhibited blantant lies and pushing a false narrative which constitute defamation.

We are also aware of the irregular pressure that EACC is exerting on the ODPP to approve rushed charges, yet the ODPP has been hesitant due to lack of strong evidence and due process. This pressure provides EACC opportunities of diversion of some of the alleged infractions that do not merit to be pushed through an already clogged judicial system yet these trumped up charges could eventually apportion liability against the State on grounds of malicious prosecution should the court dismiss them. The ODPP ought to be given the latitude to apply it's prosecutorial policy guidelines without undue pressure from the EACC since in criminal matters the burden of proof is overriding.

Another instance is EACC continuously publicising allegations of Mr. Abala Wanga's lie of having obtained employment through fake academic certificates, yet his countless classmates from high school, Kenya Medical Traing Centre, Kampala International University and Strathmore University have issued rejoinders against the EACC's malicious media propaganda. Clarifications have been sought and obtained on Mr. Abala Wanga's academic credentials achieved through sacrifices and sweat all the way through all the levels of academics ladder up to Masters degree level. 

According to Prof. Abeka, of JOUST Mr Abala Wanga's career path can be traced from high school on the grade obtained which was eqiuvalent to division three, and this enabled him to be admitted for a certificate and later, diploma courses at the KMTC.

He was subsequently employed at the Ministry of Health where he worked through several promotions for a number of years before his admission through mature entry program to study Law at Kampala International University and then joined Strathmore Business School for an MBA. Mr. Abala Wanga is neither a drop out nor was never discontinued but graduated at all levels.

It is now apparent that the EACC have expressed open bias in the investigations and lack objectivity in their pursuit of gate keeping for vested interests. Under a constitutional system like Kenya we must call out those who are weaponising the criminal justice institutions to achieve ulterior political motives.