4. John Harun Mwau – Politician, Drug Kingpin, Or Both?
Decried by his many enemies, yet beloved by the Kenyan public, it’s difficult to say whether he was a true drug lord or just a misunderstood politician. Harun Mwau of Kenya could be categorized as either or both. John Harun Mwau is a leader of the Party of Independent Candidates of Kenya, was elected as the MP (Member of Parliament) for the Kilome region of the country.
At one time, Harun actually served as chairman of the Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission (KACC). A former policeman, he was also known to be an excellent sharpshooter. Harun is said to have started up in the drug trade while traveling to international shooting competitions when he was still an active member of the police force. While he has insisted that he’s not in the drug trade at all, Harun Mwau has never provided an explanation for his obvious riches, including a $750 million USD business empire.
In 2011, he was put on U.S. President Obama’s infamous lists of international drug kingpins, a move Mwau says was motivated by a desire to seize his properties and other U.S.-based assets. Despite all of the investigations and public charges (including the public indictment by the Kenyan Parliament), nothing has stuck. As of fall 2016, Harun has entered the race for governor of Nairobi in the upcoming 2017 elections.
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