The Ugly Face of Devolved Corruption: Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti's Son Charles Oduwale Detained in the UK in a Major Money Laundering Investigation

When Kenya promulgated its 2010 Constitution, the most progressive in the world, as it was touted then, hopes were high that devolution would decentralise power and services, putting more resources in the hands of the people.

In practice, however, it appears that what has been devolved is not power or development but corruption, with county governors leading the charge. The latest scandal involving Machakos governor Wavinya Ndeti and her son, Charles Oduwale, serves as yet another example of how deeply entrenched the rot is, particularly under President William Ruto’s administration.

While many Kenyans languish in poverty, struggling with poor healthcare, lack of infrastructure, and rising costs of living—a survey by Tala in March this year found that 18% of Kenyans are skipping meals altogether or selling assets to survive, 55% are cutting expenses, and 23% are depleting their savings just to make ends meet—the political class continues its brazen looting of public coffers, shielding themselves under the veil of development projects. The façade is crumbling, however, as the corruption racket spreads beyond Kenya's borders, as seen in the recent money laundering investigation in the United Kingdom.

A Telling Incident: Wavinya Ndeti's UK Fiasco

Governor Wavinya Ndeti, who has been in the UK for several weeks now, finds herself at the centre of an unfolding money-laundering investigation involving her son, Charles Oduwale. Oduwale was arrested by British anti-fraud officials after attempting to deposit a staggering £4 million (KSh 679 million) into an East London bank. This massive sum, purportedly meant for a "Level 5 hospital in Machakos," raised immediate red flags, given the abject state of healthcare in most counties across Kenya.

Governor Ndeti has since claimed the funds were intended for county development, but the question remains: Where did the money actually come from? The Machakos County budget does not reflect any such expenditure, and the hurried attempt to bank this enormous amount raises legitimate suspicions of embezzlement.

The Fake Dams Scandal

But this isn’t the first time Wavinya Ndeti has found herself embroiled in financial scandal. Last year, the Machakos County Government undertook an ambitious plan to construct 75 dams ahead of the anticipated El Niño rains. However, this grand project was riddled with irregularities from the outset. County officials, led by Water Minister Catherine Mutanu, raised alarms about the hasty approvals, lack of proper tendering, and the unrealistic timelines imposed by the governor.

Mutanu’s attempts to question the feasibility of the project were met with threats of dismissal. Nevertheless, work on the dams commenced, though predictably, less than a quarter of the dams were completed by the time the rains arrived. The contractors were paid in full, and the money earmarked for the remaining projects disappeared into the governor’s coffers, or so it seems.

According to insiders, Ndeti and her son, working with an alleged middleman, Salat Osman (alias Ali), orchestrated the scandal to siphon off billions of shillings. The promise of water security for Machakos residents was never more than a smokescreen to justify looting. It’s telling that when the rains came, not only were the dams incomplete, but the county was ill-prepared to manage the flooding that followed.

The Broader Picture: A Culture of Corruption

This incident is not isolated. From governors, senators, and MPs, to county executives, corruption has found a comfortable home in devolved governments. This could not have been better illustrated by last Friday's monumental event at the Senate.

The very structure that was meant to bring services closer to the people has instead provided a decentralised network for graft. The system of accountability is weak, and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has proved woefully inadequate at reining in these power-hungry officials.

President William Ruto’s administration has failed to address this growing epidemic of corruption. Instead of decisive action, we see politically motivated appointments to the EACC, which function more as tools of political control than genuine anti-graft agencies. There is no doubt that the Kenyan political elite feel untouchable, secure in the knowledge that they can plunder public resources with little consequence. And when things go wrong, as they have for Wavinya Ndeti in the UK, they count on their wealth and influence to bail them out.

What Is Ruto’s Administration Doing?

It is easy to lay the blame at the feet of county governors like Wavinya Ndeti. After all, they are the ones who stand accused of embezzling billions meant for development. But the systemic corruption is reflective of a deeper malaise that pervades the entire government structure, including the presidency.

Under President Ruto, the promise of cracking down on corruption was one of his main campaign pillars. Yet, two years into his presidency, we see little evidence of this commitment. Instead, the same old networks of corruption persist, bolstered by the culture of impunity that allows politicians to escape prosecution or accountability. If anything, corruption has only become more blatant under his administration, with county-level leaders increasingly bold in their illicit dealings.

The Impact on the Public

For the average Kenyan, stories like those of Wavinya Ndeti and her son represent a painful betrayal. Every shilling stolen from public coffers is money that could have gone to build hospitals, improve roads, or ensure clean water supply. Yet, under the guise of development, this money is being siphoned off for personal gain.

This latest scandal underscores a worrying trend: instead of devolving services, counties have devolved corruption. Governors and their cronies have free rein to loot, unimpeded by oversight or accountability. While Machakos County residents lack basic healthcare and water services, their governor attempts to launder millions abroad under the pretext of development.

The Need for Reform

It is clear that Kenya’s devolution system is broken. Reforms must be urgently undertaken to restore accountability and ensure that public funds are used for their intended purposes. First, the oversight mechanisms must be strengthened. The EACC needs to be depoliticised and empowered to pursue high-profile cases like that of Wavinya Ndeti. Furthermore, the Auditor-General’s reports, which highlight these financial improprieties, must be taken seriously and acted upon.

There is also a need for public participation in the budgeting and tendering processes at the county level. Kenyans should have a say in how their money is spent and have access to information about who is awarded contracts and why. Transparency is the only way to prevent future scams like the Machakos dams project.

A Moment of Reckoning

As Wavinya Ndeti and her son face scrutiny in the UK, Kenyans must also demand accountability at home. Corruption has long been the Achilles' heel of Kenyan politics, and without drastic action, devolution will fail to deliver on its promises.

President William Ruto, who campaigned on a platform of anti-corruption, must now face the uncomfortable reality that his administration has allowed this scourge to thrive. The Machakos case should serve as a wake-up call to all Kenyans: as long as the political class continues to steal, the dream of devolution remains a farce. And unless we take action now, we will continue to see our leaders laundering millions while ordinary Kenyans struggle to survive.

It’s time for a reckoning.