By Queen Muandiki

When Machakos governor, Wavinya Ndeti jetted back into the country on Monday after close to a month tour in the United Kingdom, there was trepidation in the minds of her detractors that she had overcome what they thought had trapped her overseas.

Even as she was airborne, there was no doubt among her supporters that time had come for them to invoke their bragging rights to scream to the entire world that nothing like detention or arrests had happened to her and her son- Charles Nzuki Oduwole during their sojourn. Her office had sent a media invite to both local and national media that she would address a press conference upon arrival at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

Upon landing Wavinya addressed the media in one of the high-end hotels within the airport and swiftly rubbished rumours that she had been arrested alongside her son over alleged money laundering claims. For while she was away, it was claimed that both had been detained for attempting to bank the equivalent of Kes. 679m.

The governor said her stay in the UK was not for nothing. “My stay in the UK was not in vain. Within my first week in the UK, I engaged in official duty and managed to secure a donation two fire engines through donation” She did not give details about the donor and value of the donated fire engines.

She also explained for the first time that after she had to settle her daughter who was joining a university in the UK. Details were scanty as to why it took her almost 4 weeks abroad. There we no indications as to who will meet the costs of the trip.

The presser was well choreographed by her Chief Officer- Communications Joyce Gituro who allowed only two questions to be asked by a Royal Media journalist. Gituro has worked at RMS.

Sources who know Governor Wavinya’s itinerary say she Wavinya departed from Kenya around August 25,2024 as her adjutants begun distributing equipment worth Kes. 200m targeting youth empowerment the next week. Her trip also saw her skip public participation exercises the county was undertaking. According to multiple sources, Wavinya took an Emirates Flight that she personally booked her son and daughter Alika Oduwole.

They all traveled First Class which well costs Kes. 1m per ticket. Frequent flier status that Wavinya bears may earn her fat discounts. The tickets were procured from Kayleaf Tours, a travel agency that is pre-qualified for air travel services by the County Government of Machakos. Our sources say they tickets are yet to be paid for.

The sources said Wavinya was scheduled to be in the UK for a week to settle the daughter and continue to China to join President William Ruto. She did not fly to China, and it is during her prolonged silent stay in Europe that the story of the alleged detention cropped up. An unsigned statement, purporting to be Wavinya’s was developed after two days of the story going viral. Wavinya was to stay in Europe for another week, when a more detailed account of the alleged detention surfaced again, until Tuesday this week when she returned breathing fire and brimstone.

Close confidants to the Governor say her family once owned two flats in the UK. One was sold to help them defray medications costs. The one that remained, the sources say, is a one bedroom flat that is used by her other son, who is in school in London. Settling the daughter meant that the governor had to find a residence for her use. Could this have provoked the suspicion?

Wavinya justified the presence of her son tagging around her saying since she was widowed upon the death of her husband- Prince Oduwole- in 2016, Charles had become key in her support system. “There is and no way he can be far from me”, she told her detractors adding that they better get used to his presence. ” He is going nowhere”, she added.

Ndeti seems to have taken the opportunity to explain the presence of Charles in virtually every meeting she conducts even when he has no official capacity. Charles attends cabinet meetings and other sensitive briefing including those that the governor conducts with her ministers at her Kianie home. There are all sorts of allegations about his actual role around the County supremo. The governor has declined to respond to initiatives by The Anchor to respond to many such allegations.

Ndeti used subsequent rallies that had been organized after her arrival to frame the allegations as an act of “corruption fighting back” and promised to go to court to sue the engineers of the story. Upon been asked if she has names of those who originated with the speculations, she said that people will know them when court summons are issued. The same remarks were repeated by her son when he was accorded an opportunity to address the crowds at Mlolongo.