Its agenda is not to help the masses; build schools, dig boreholes, prevent teenage pregnancies, discover vaccines
By GW Ngari
Editor-at-Large
@UndercoverKe
Billionaire wheeler-dealer Jimi Wanjigi woke up to his own obituary in the Daily Nation in February, 2018. He was awarded Sh8 million for damages (of being killed prematurely), but ‘the system’ which works for the Deep State, had sent its message loud and clear.
Wanjigi had manipulated ‘the system’ and coined his billions on the back of commissions for tenders like the SGR- in Uhuru Kenyatta’s first term in 2013. And here he was, bankrolling Raila Odinga for the Presidency in 2017?
Deputy President William Ruto has been lamenting about ‘the system’ and Deep State. He knows Deep State is real, can be bad news. But both are slightly different: ‘The System’ is legitimate government, whose bureaucracy is used through appointments, intimidation, coercion, corruption, blackmail, nepotism and cronyism to work for Deep State-which is illegitimate, invisible.
You only see the aftermath of its hands: Ruto was all but Kenya’s fifth President, now that’s a dream. Waititu Babayao was Kiambu Governor but is now shivering in political Siberia.
When Deep State is on your case, you’ll have sleepless nights
Mike Sonko was all but replaced with Major General Mohamed Badi, currently the ‘Military Governor of Nairobi’. Then there is Miguna Miguna, the only Kenyan in forced exile. Chief Justice David Maraga had billboards besmirching his name erected along Mombasa Road besides a planted Baby Mama demanding paternity test.
Ruto. Babayao. Sonko. Miguna. Maraga. Wanjigi: When Deep State is on your case, you’ll have sleepless nights, run away from your shadow.
And this can be triggered when your friendship with the President ends and the ‘system’ then condemns you to the ‘political leprosy’ ward. The consequences are bloody for those who are corrupt, forged transcripts, escaped from prison.
In Kenya, Deep State comprises; political dynasties, Old Money families, power brokers and elements of organized crime
Deputy President Ruto this year lost 1,600 acres in Ruai to the State and never breathed a word. He paid Sh300 million for the land on which his Weston Hotel sits along Lang’ata Road. But the case on the land’s illegal acquisition has been revived forcing him to offer buying it a second time!
Why does the Deep State exist and why is it so powerful?
Well, for starters, Deep State aims to maintain the status quo and profit from the enterprise of the state. Throughout history, every country has its version of Deep State; a term that came from 1990s Turkey after its Deep State was infiltrated by elements of organized crime who conspired with retired military chiefs, intelligence heads, political operatives, business barons, nabobs in government and media owners in directing Turkish political direction.
The Deep State is thus a government within government-but more potent than the State
In Kenya, Deep State comprises; political dynasties, Old Money families, filthy rich political financiers, high roller tender-preneurs, power brokers, influential bureaucrats and political fixers. It also has assorted cronies, advisors and the top brass of the police, military and the intelligence community, State House mandarins and religious figures (see story on National Prayer Breakfast).
Others in Deep State include technocrats at Treasury, revenue collection, media enterprises, the Judiciary, lucrative sectors like energy and amorphous but visible entities like political foundations which fundraise for presidential candidates. In June 2017, one raised Sh1 billion in less than two hours for Uhuru’s re-election at a Nairobi hotel.
Chris Msando, Dr Robert Ouko, JM Kariuki, Tom Mboya, Pio Gama Pinto…are macabre statistics in use of assassination as ‘a tool of political management‘
Add too elements of organized crime as ‘the system’ and Deep State can turn into Murder Incorporated: Chris Msando, Prof George Saitoti, Dr Robert Ouko, JM Kariuki, Tom Mboya, Pio Gama Pinto…are macabre statistics in use of assassination as “a tools of political management.”
The Deep State is thus, parallel government; a government within government-but more potent than the State. Its agenda is not to help the masses; build schools, dig boreholes, prevent teenage pregnancies, discover vaccines. It is to wield political power for milking the economy via a network of complex interests in lucrative tenders and international procurement deals, while enjoying state protection.
The Deep State thus controls levers of the state, influencing presidential directives, executive orders, parliamentary bills, trade policies, state appointments, development projects, diplomatic relations, who becomes ambassador. This informal, shadowy power structure also selects the President the masses vote for.
Deep State, which never parades itself, is thus the power behind the throne
Dr Oburu Oginga, Raila Odinga’s elder brother, blamed Deep State for Baba’s previous presidential losses, but recently prophesied he will be president in 2022 because “this time we have the Deep State. We are sure of victory.” In other words, Deep State will plant Raila at State House, whichever way Kenyans vote.
Raila is widely believed to have won the 2007 Presidential election. But the late Samuel Kivuitu, chair of the Electoral Commission of Kenya later said “I don’t know who won the elections” and was only instructed to pronounce Kibaki the winner. Deep State stole the victory for Mwai Kibaki.
This is the Deep State Deputy President William Ruto is teasing ‘bring it on, baby!’
Deep State, which never parades itself, is thus the power behind the throne. And power has its owners. Ruto has been crying foul after Deep State snatched powers it had apportioned him. This is the Deep State Ruto is teasing ‘bring it on, baby!’
He reckons 2022 will be a contest between him, voters and God versus the Deep State-which never loses presidential elections: If it feels Baba will lose to Ruto, then it will have no heartburn dumping Baba. But if Ruto does not play ball, then Deep State will just steal the elections for Baba!
So, as you lay eggs in traffic, worry about pay cuts, loss of job, business or libido-the omnipotent hand of Deep State is pulling backroom levers to arc the Uhuru Succession its way in 2022.
