[Part One] Kenya's Best Performing MP

I set out to find how Hon. Milemba, Jeremiah Omboko; the Member of Parliament for Emuhaya Constituency in Vihiga was voted the most performing MP in the Kenya National Assembly for the year 2019-2020 in a survey conducted by Infotrak Pollster.

Countytrak Elected Leaders Popularity Index rated Hon. Milemba, who doubles as the chairperson of Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET), with a score of 75.4 percent.

The Constituencies Development Fund, established through the CDF Act, 2003 is a public-funded kitty that targets development projects at the grassroots level. It is one of the several devolved funds set up by the Kenya Government to mitigate poverty and to harmonize the spread of development throughout the country.

In order to get the feel of the place, I arrive earlier at the Emuhaya NG’CDF and Parliamentary offices. There is one car and two motorcycles in the parking lot. The Askari (gateman) a jovial Mzee tries to chat with me about the weather; but since I do not live in the area, I am short on contribution. He switches to the social issues and; when we realise my grandmother and his mother share a blood relationship, we banter along jovially.

People are arriving, few by car, many are dropped outside the gate by Bodaboda motorbike taxis; others just like myself, walk-in. Most greet us with the famous Luhyia Nation: “Mulembe” greeting, others just wave at us. Some arrivals stop to enquire from the Askari if so-and-so official has arrived, and the Askari replies in the positive or gives his standardized reply; “they will be along soon, just go and wait at the office a little while.” A small crowd is soon gathered outside the two-floor CDF and Parliamentary offices block fifty metres from the gate.

From my little chat with the gatekeeper, I learn that there is an entrepreneur woman who makes and installs special Jikos (cooking stoves) in homes. I have learned that Mr. Hellam Ainea, the official I am planning to talk to; is usually in the office the whole day. Since I did not have a time-booked interview, I decided to multi-task and visit this Jiko-maker first.

I am back two hours later. The crowd outside the CDF office has thinned considerably. I learn that many of them had gone into the training hall behind the main office block. My journalist curiosity would have led me there; however, the hall and the people inside are clearly visible from where I am standing outside this main building. This is some sort of open plan office design that trans-crosses from one building into another.

We, the clients/visitors are standing or seated haphazardly on plastic chairs at the veranda outside the office block, maintaining social distancing. Shortly, a trendily dressed young man, complete with Mohawk hairstyle and earphones; pops up at the far end of the visitors’ crowd and walks from one person to another engaging in low-toned conversation. I notice he directs each one where to go.

He reaches where I am seated “how about you sir; ‘nikusaidieje?”. I inform him I have come to have a talk with Mr. Hellam. He assures me Mr. Hellam will be around shortly; to wait. Before he moves to the next person; I ask him if there is a place I can do my work while I wait. He beckons me to follow him and carries my chair, which he places in the foyer just inside the main entrance. He points at the electric socket on the wall; “here sir. Karibu.’ For a moment I hesitate, but looking around me, I realise that nobody is concerned with me.

This is when I realise that everyone is doing their own things as if they all belong or live here. There is a soft sense of belonging, which I decide to give a try and adapt. I plugin and do my work. The cleaner mama with bucket and mop comes by doing her work. When I hit eye contact with her; we almost Mulembe each other simultaneously. Since she does not ask what I am doing here; I ask her how will I know when Mr. Hellam arrives, as I do not know him. They will inform you, she answers; pointing at the back of Mohawk officer, who having completed his round was going upstairs.

As I speck away at the keyboard, several people pass by heading up the stairs. All seem to know where they are going. Only one couple stops to ask me their way; I point them in the direction of the cleaner who has moved along into the corridor on my left.

I am so engrossed in my work that I hardly notice when a wave of people walk past me going up the stairs. Only some sixth sense feeling makes me glance to the right and I realize the few people who were still outside the building are no longer there. I am alone.

Even as I begin folding up my things, the cleaning mama reappears from the left corridor and informs me they are calling me. I glance up the stairs and again see the receding back of Officer Mohawk. I ask the cleaner mama for the direction to Mr. Hellam’s office. She tells me there is the receptionist upstairs.

I expect the receptionist to shoot at me many usual questions; Kenya government office style. Instead, it is a one-sentence: Mr. Hellam? Straight down that corridor, the open door you can see directly from here.

Reaching the open door, I commit my first mistake. I wait outside the open door. I do not knock because I can see the people inside… and well, they must be seeing me.  Two people walk out, three people breeze past me and disappear into the bowels of the office to the left. What is it about these people’s way of doing things; I ask myself as I follow them and realise the office is large. Frankly, it takes a bit of conditioning to do things differently. They have formed a system of doing things differently from what we Kenyans are used to.

As I enter, I observe the Mulembe etiquette; just loud enough to be heard by all occupants in the room. In that brief eye contact, I do a smooth one-sentence introduction to Mr. Hellam and state my mission. He nods and acknowledges our previous telephone contact. I wave my camera at him and mime the request: may I take some photos? He nods in acceptance. There is an empty chair by the corner of the wall; I excuse myself and become the observer.

TAKE ONE

Mr. Hellam is at his desk, attending simultaneously to two clients seated in front of the desk. Behind him, there is an official trying to use the printer on the extension table by the window. He seems to be experiencing some hitches and Hellam is multitasking instructions to him. To the left is a lady holding a bunch of files; she is discussing about some meeting she is going to. Later I am told this is Roselyne Ang’ana;  the Chair of the Bursary Sub-Committee. Another officer is by the left side of the desk corner bent over a laptop. The average age of officials in the room is 28-30 years.

The cleaner mama has moved in with her implements; and is busy on the far back of the room near the bookshelf. I take a photo aiming to capture the officials in the room. The camera flash momentarily breaks the low mummer in the office.

TAKE TWO

The computer on Mr. Hellam’s desk is currently the busiest entity. I realise most clients here are checking about their education bursary applications. Whatever answers they receive, I do not see any faces of disappointment. I take note to ask how they manage to satisfy apparently all the applications with funds they receive.

Mistake Number two: I expected Mr. Hellam to spare a few private moments for a one-to-one chat. Then it occurs to me the way things operate in this office, there are no private moments. I occupy the next vacated chair at the front of his desk and go for my pound of flesh of his time. After the bonding questions, I request to see some of the CDF projects that contributed to winning their MP of Emuhaya, Hon. Omboko so many accolades. The other officials; who are all listening as they work turn and look at each other in amazement.

Mr. Hellam points at the person with laptop on the desk: “I believe Mr. Ayub here is the right fellow to assist you with what you want.”

Mr. Ayub Ebole introduces himself as the Clerk of Works. He carries his laptop to the printer and runs out a two-page printout, which he hands to me.

“This is the list of the latest ongoing and completed projects. Depending on your time, you can visit any or all of them. So which projects do you want to view today?”

My third mistake was my thinking they had specific flagship projects they will are proud to show off; how wrong. I count 14 projects on the list. They range from Tertiary Colleges, Primary and Secondary Schools, Sub-county headquarters, and Police Posts.

“I want to begin with the best of them all.” I insist.

“There are all good; none is better than the other” Replies Ayub.

I randomly tick three projects on the list. I leave the office tagging behind Mr. Nelson Mandela the G.I.S. (Geographic Information Science officer) who is tasked to take me on the tour of the projects  ‘of my choice’ from that list.

As a parting shot, I stop by the receptionist, re-introduce myself, and request her name and telephone number. Such contacts are important for planning future interviews. The expected standard questions like why you want to have my number; but Ann Atemo complies and says: you are welcome back to Emuhaya, sir.

My mission was to get the background picture of the member of the parliament’s work before I tackle him is on course. Behind every successful leader, there has to be a committed team he relies on. I still have to talk to the CDF Manager, Mr. Charles Omuchilo; so by the look of things, there is more to come. Stay tuned for the next article

My observation as I leave the offices is of the latent synergy between the officials and the MP’s constituents. They are like members of the same family in a home. You would not have believed you are in the government’s office. Right from the gate, you set the feeling that you have arrived