What comes to your mind when you hear of Senator Moses Wetangula? Is it his Law career, his political game, Tokyo Embassy Scandal, the famous Messy, noise and casualties slang or the fake gold scandal?
Moses Masika Wetangula (born 13 September 1956), served in the government of Kenya as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2010 and from 2011 to 2012, and he was Minister for Trade from 2012 to 2013.
His Early Life
Wetangula went to Nalondo Primary School, Busakala secondary school, Teremi Secondary School, and Friends School Kamusinga before being admitted to the University of Nairobi where he graduated with a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree.
He was a member of the Board of Directors of ICROSS Kenya from 1989, stepping down when he became Kenya’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.
His Political Life
He was nominated as a KANU MP after the 1992 general elections serving until 1997.
He has held several other previous public positions which include that of magistrate and the chairman Electricity Regulatory Board. Wetangula actively participated in organisation of funds-drives to set up projects on self-help basis and has been offering legal services to the local people.
He has mobilised women and the youth to initiate income generating projects.
He was elected to the National Assembly in the December 2022 general elections.
In the Cabinet appointed by President Mwai Kibaki on 8 January 2008, in the midst of a crisis regarding the results of the concurrent presidential election, Wetangula was named Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Later in January, in reaction to criticism from the United Kingdom regarding the presidential election, Wetangula summoned the United Kingdom’s High Commissioner, Adam Wood, to complain, and he said that “our elections don’t need a stamp of authority from the House of Commons”.
After a power-sharing agreement was reached between Kibaki and Raila Odinga both of whom claimed victory in the presidential election, Wetangula retained his post in the Grand Coalition Cabinet named on 13 April 2008.
In March 2012, Wetangula was stranded in Bamako, Mali during a coup d’etat. He was evacuated after being trapped in his hotel room for several days.
Shortly after Wetangula’s return, Kibaki shuffled his cabinet. Wetangula left his post as Foreign Minister and became the Trade Minister.
Tokyo Embassy Scandal
Wetangula left his ministerial post on 27 October 2010 due to ongoing investigation on his alleged involvement in the Kenyan Tokyo embassy scandal.
It was alleged that instead of accepting free property from the government of Japan for the embassy, 1.6 billion shillings was withheld from the sale of Kenyan property in Nigeria and used to buy a less suitable property.
The late George Saitoti served as acting foreign minister during Wetangula’s absence. He was absolved of the allegations and returned to the ministry in August 2011, though he permanently left the position a few months later to successfully contest for the position of Senator for Bungoma County.
Senate Minority Leader
After winning election to the Senate, Wetangula was selected to serve as Minority Leader of the Coalition for Reforms and Democracy.
The Bungoma High Court nullified his election on 30 September 2013 and the Speaker of the Senate declared the seat vacant on 16 October 2013.
In a by-election held on 19 December 2013, Ford Kenya candidate Moses Wetangula recaptured his Bungoma senatorial seat with a landslide win after garnering 149,458 votes against his main contender Musikari Kombo, who got about a half of the votes.
Kombo, who was vying on a New Ford Kenya ticket, came second with 81,016 votes followed by independent candidate David Makali and Labour Party of Kenya candidate Bifwoli Wakoli at a distant third and fourth place respectively.
Things turn Messy, Noisy with a Casualty
In March 2018, a plot by the minority side was put across to oust Wetangula from his minority leader position. He warned that things would turn messy, noisy and that there would be a casualty. Indeed, he turned out to be a casualty.
On the 20th of March 2018, Wetangula was replaced by Siaya senator James Orengo as Senate Minority leader.
Fake gold Scandal
Wetangula’s name hit the headlines last week after an audio conversation with an audibly angry businessman over an alleged gold consignment emerged.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) George Kinoti later revealed that the authenticity of the audio was under investigation.
“The syndicate involves high and mighty across the world. But rest assured, I will nail each and every criminal involved in this fake gold scandal,” he said on Sunday.
He will be summoned to shed light on what he knows about the gold consignment that was to allegedly pass through Kenya to Dubai.
At the centre of the saga is gold said to be valued at Ksh.30billion that was reportedly from the Republic of Congo.
It was allegedly to be transported to the United Arab Emirates through Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi.
Zaheer Jhanda, a former politician, recently spoke out over his links to the royal family in Dubai.
He is said to have consulted with a Dubai-based gold merchant who was supposed to ferry the gold