Moses Nandalwe, Popularly known as ‘Aliko Dangote’ or ‘Mr. Moneybags’, is not a new name in Bungoma county. The close associate of COTU Secretary general Francis Atwoli, has been branded a show-off for walking around with mean looking body guards during funerals and other functions in Sirisia, where he hails from. “It is not a show-off, politics especially in my constituency is murky and meetings easily degenerate into chaos. My bodyguards come in handy in such situations,” he told a local daily.
Here the story of the tycoon who unsuccessfully vied for the Sirisia constituency parliamentary seat and now seeks to succeed Moses Wetangula as new Bungoma Senator as told by WoK.
Background
Moses Nandalwe was born and raised in Sirisia constituency, Bungoma county in the western region of Kenya. After his O-levels, he joined Kenyatta University before he was expelled from the institution in July 2009 following student’s riots. He went on to join the University of Nairobi where he was a student leader. He ventured into the lucrative real estate business from where he made a tidy sum.
Flamboyant lifestyle
The tycoon doesn’t shy away from showing off his expensive lifestyle and issuing handouts to anyone and everyone. In 2016 during an album launch for western Kenya artists, Moses was spotted dishing out Ksh1,000 notes to hundreds of revellers. When asked about his source of income, he told the Nairobian:
“I learnt a good lesson in 2013 when I unsuccessfully contested for the Sirisia parliamentary seat. I almost threw myself in the Indian Ocean after the defeat because I thought I had spent a lot of money. I saved money since then. I also ventured into business in the city, so far things have been good to me. I have decided to share part of what I saved with my friends and supporters. I give them Ksh 1,000 each which I think is not wrong.”
He also clarified rumors that were going round that is involved in a cult since he flies by chopper when going to his rural home in Sirisia.
“I use a chopper whenever I’m in a hurry to meet my people. It does not mean I am showing off. And I am not an illuminati member or a thug as some people and detractors want others to believe. I am a hardworking Kenyan who had a big heart,” he explained.
Politics
Moses Nandalwe begun his political career courtesy of the abrasive COTU Secretary General Francis Atwoli.
“I must thank COTU boss Francis Atwoli for hand picking me from university when I was young with nothing and showing me how to live from hard work,” he said in a past interview.
In 2013, he unsuccessfully vied for the Sirisia constituency parliamentary seat on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party ticket while aged 25 years old. The tycoon also unsuccessfully contested the seat in the 2017 general elections. In 2022, Moses came third in the parliamentary seat after garnering 3,421 votes. The seat was won by the incumbent John Waluke who got 16,461 votes followed by Ford Kenya’s Kasambeli Nasiuma who garnered 3,421. After losing the seat and Moses Wetangula getting appointed as the National Assembly speaker, Nandalwe is seeking to succeed him as the new Bungoma senator. The tycoon recently ditched the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party for Moses Wetangula’s Ford Kenya ahead of the senatorial race.
The 35 year old hopes that the Nandalwe Foundation which has been operating in the county will push the people to elect him. He offers free ambulance services to Bungoma residents, has established an ICT center for the youth and women, offers school bursaries and runs youth programmers under his foundation. Other leaders who have shown interest in the seat include Wafula Wamunyinyi of Democratic Action Party – Kenya (DAP-K), Wetangula’s long serving aide Wafula Wakoli and businessman Lendrix Waswa who owns the Mutengene resort.
Controversy
In 2021, the politician made headlines for all the wrong reasons. He was accused of throwing his wife Elizabeth Were from a moving car and speeding off with their two children. The matter was reported to the police by the Star journalist under OB No. 50 /30/11/2021. It read in part:
“Elizabeth do submit a report that yesterday at around 1000hrs she met with her ex-husband one Moses Nandalwe who requested to see their two children aged one year and two and half years. The said husband requested her to escort him to the airport and on reaching Nyayo stadium, he took her mobile phone and threw her out of the vehicle as he left with the two children,” the report read.
