Kalonzo accuses govt of state capture as he praises Nyakang’o and Gathungu for their firm stance
Wiper Party leader Kalonzo Musyoka launched a scathing attack on the government over what he described as blatant state capture and persistent intimidation of independent institutions.
The opposition politician was speaking during the 42nd Annual Seminar of the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK), held in Mombasa on Friday, May 23, 2025.
He singled out the offices of the auditor general Nancy Gathungu and the controller of budget Margaret Nyakang’o as the only corrupt-free government offices.
Kalonzo commended Gathungu and Nyakang’o for remaining steadfast in their duties, despite attempts by the executive to silence them.
He lauded them for exposing what he termed as “wanton rot” in government expenditure and labelled them as genuine heroes who should be celebrated by all Kenyans.
“I will speak out against the current regime’s blatant, indeed criminal attempt to state capture independent constitutional offices suchsaiddeclared.
Quoting from the book of Proverbs, Kalonzo stated, “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?”
In this context, he said the moral courage shown by Gathungu and Nyakang’o in standing up to executive pressure exemplifies righteous action and urged ICPAK to support them in the face of growing intimidation.
“I urge ICPAK to stand and support these two heroines who are members of their profession,” he added.
Current woes
In the recent past, Nyakang’o has faced numerous obstacles in her role, including threats from county governors who have blocked access to financial records, hindering real-time expenditure monitoring.
In 2023, she was arrested and charged with fraud, an act many politicians, especially from her region, described as executive mischief aimed at silencing her.
She also revealed having been pressured to release Ksh15 billion just before the 2022 elections and later flagged Ksh13.26 billion in questionable county payment cancellations.
Similarly, Gathungu has encountered mounting challenges.
In March 2025, she came under fire from Members of Parliament after exposing procurement irregularities at the Social Health Authority (SHA), an act critics saw as an attempt to intimidate state officers.
Her office’s budget was subsequently slashed by more than Ksh270 million for the 2024/2025 fiscal year, severely affecting audit operations.
She also raised concerns over Ksh5.7 billion lost through mismanaged donor-funded projects, citing procurement violations and negligence, further fueling tensions with the executive.
