A major corruption scandal is threatening to bring down Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti and her son Charles Oduwole, as investigators from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) close in on what insiders describe as a deeply entrenched graft network fleecing the county.
At the center of the allegations is Kayleaf Tours and Travel Company Ltd, a firm linked to Oduwole and his associate Osman Salat. Registered soon after Ndeti took office, the company is said to have been awarded exclusive travel contracts by the county without competitive bidding charging up to 20 times the market rate for air tickets, including private family trips disguised as official travel.
According to EACC sources, the company used fake invoices to siphon millions from county coffers and is suspected of being a front for money laundering. Investigators have reportedly traced suspicious funds to international accounts registered under multiple aliases connected to Oduwole.
Despite having no official position, Oduwole allegedly wields immense power. He occupies a fully staffed office adjacent to his mother’s in the Machakos “White House,” rides in official vehicles, and reportedly controls ICT contracts in the county. These include two inflated software systems for revenue collection and trade, believed to be embedded with loopholes for diverting public funds into private accounts – a scheme some sources are calling a “cyber fraud ring.”
The scandal has ignited outrage. Several Machakos MCAs allied to Speaker Ann Kiusya are demanding a full audit of county finances and a probe into the source of Sh20 million allegedly used for political mobilization. Civil society groups have threatened to seek court intervention if arrests are delayed, warning that essential services like health, roads, and water are being sacrificed at the altar of corruption.
However, Governor Ndeti has vehemently denied the allegations, dismissing them as a politically engineered smear campaign. She also refuted claims of being arrested in the UK alongside her son, saying her overseas visit was for official business and family matters. Upon return, she vowed to continue with reforms, citing increased revenue and consolidated pay bills as proof of her administration’s transparency efforts.
As pressure mounts and evidence accumulates, all eyes are now on the EACC. The question no longer is if action will be taken – but when.
