Kenya never disappoints. Every election season, the gods of irony hand us a gift: a politician wrapped in scandal, smiling confidently, promising to “serve the people.” This year, Mbeere North’s shiny package is none other than Leonard Muriuki Njeru, alias Leo Wa Muthende, UDA’s golden boy and the face of a Sh433 million oxygen plant scandal that left Kenyatta National Hospital gasping for breath literally.
Remember the grand promise? A state-of-the-art oxygen plant pumping out 8,000 litres per minute, enough to keep wards humming with life. What arrived instead? A wheezing contraption coughing up barely 2,800 litres. It’s like paying for a Mercedes and getting a boda boda with three punctures.
But it gets better. KNH had to dig deeper into taxpayers’ pockets, forking out Sh168 million for emergency oxygen supplies, Sh100 million for power backups, and an extra Sh500 million in electricity bills. For that price tag, every Kenyan should be walking around with a personal oxygen tank slung over their shoulder, designer-branded, of course.
Naturally, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission swooped in, suspending the KNH boss, freezing accounts, and rattling a few chains at the Ministry of Health. But while investigators fumbled with paperwork, UDA rolled out the red carpet for Muriuki. Apparently, in Kenya, scandal isn’t a stain it’s a badge of honour.
And so, with the confidence of a man who just conned you and then borrowed your car to campaign, Muriuki hit the trail. His pitch? He’s the “consensus” candidate. Seven others stepped aside. Maybe they saw the Sh433 million résumé and decided they simply couldn’t compete.
Meanwhile, the opposition is scrambling. Newton “Karish” Kariuki is banking on Justin Muturi’s blessing, while Duncan Mbui has linked arms with Moses Kuria. Yet, let’s be honest: in Kenya, voters often prefer a politician with a well-publicized scandal. At least you know what you’re getting.
The real tragedy? Patients at KNH who still struggle to breathe because of this fiasco. But out here in the political arena, suffocating hospitals are just background noise. What matters is party loyalty, deep pockets, and the ability to smile through allegations thicker than Nairobi traffic.
So, come election day, Mbeere North voters have a choice: inhale the same recycled hot air—or finally demand real oxygen.
