Former MP’s lavish air travel exposes misuse of public funds
Former Kabondo Kasipul MP, Silvance Osele, now a director at the Presidential Delivery Unit, recently made headlines after he traveled by air. At the same time, his driver and bodyguard used the road to travel to South Nyanza.
The viral video sparked outrage as it exposed the lavish lifestyles some state officers in the country live.
Many activists accused Mr. Osele of violating the law and asked the responsible agencies to prevent others with similar intentions.
In the video, Mr. Osele is heard belittling his driver and bodyguard for not being well-educated, saying his hard work in school enables him to travel by air while his assistants use the road.
This behavior by the former legislator raises concerns about government officials’ misuse of public resources.
According to Mr. Osele, he spent Thursday night in Nairobi before flying from the capital city to Kisumu the following morning.
Also read: Viral video exposes ex-MP demeaning his driver and bodyguard
From Kisumu, the former legislator said he was driven in a luxury car to Migori. Traveling between the two cities by road costs between Sh 7,000 to Sh 10,000.
This means Mr. Osele could have spent up to Sh 15,000 on Friday for air travel while his driver and bodyguard spent the whole night driving to Migori.
The executive director of Devolution Defenders Network Forum, Mr. Michael Kojo, accused Mr. Osele of misusing public resources contrary to provisions of the constitution.
He stated that Mr. Osele broke at least three principles that a leader should follow, which violates Article 201 of the constitution, which states that public money shall be used prudently and responsibly.
“His action is proof enough that Kenyans should not have confidence in him,” he said.
Moreover, Mr. Osele could have broken Chapter Six of the Constitution, highlighting leadership and integrity.
Article 201 of the constitution says public money shall be used in a prudent and responsible manner.
“He could have saved money if he used his car. It costs more to use air. Surprisingly, he used air while his car also made the same journey,” Mr Kojo said.
Meanwhile, article 232, which highlights the values and principles of public servants, requires state officers to practice high standards of professional ethics while observing efficient, effective and economic use of resources.
Mr. Kojo added that the Presidential Delivery Unit director violated Article 73, highlighting authority assigned to a state officer. It said the officer should bring honor to the nation and promote public confidence in the integrity of his office.
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