CS Matiang'i Overhauls Betting Control Board

The most recent changes by Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang' i at the Betting Control and Licensing Board have rattled erstwhile silent political snakes.

According to a recent report by Nation, nearly half of the employees at BCLB have been sent home in an unrelenting sweep-up by Matiang' i.

It is alleged that many of those who were working at the board had become too close to the betting companies to an extent that they were frustrating the efforts to clean up the industry.

Some of those reportedly kicked out include Managing Director, Liti Wambua, who has been replaced by Peter Mbugi.

These moves have kicked up a storm in the political circles with senators and MPs coming out, fangs bared, accusing Matiang' i of dealing a heavy hand to the shareholders in the gambling industry.

On Tuesday, legislators, led by Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, stated during a press conference that they had summoned the CS to appear in Parliament, to explain the impasse between the state and betting companies.

In the press conference, they pleaded with him to restore the licenses of the affected companies.

They outlined the disadvantages of having those companies out of business.

Of the 27 companies whose licenses were suspended, only one has had its license restored.

Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura reportedly told Nation that they (the leaders) intend to pile pressure on the government, to bring it to the negotiating table.

Nominated Senator Isaac Mwaura.

So far, all the efforts to have the government slow down on the crackdown do not seem to make Matiang' i budge, as the betting industry is still languishing in uncertainty, unable to predict the next card that the CS is holding close to his chest.