By Tony Mochama

In modern times, most of our politicians — both here and abroad — have fallen not on great swords that kill their careers ... but small daggers that finish them off.

Even the exorcism case of King Saul has a contemporary analogy in the agony of Musikari Kombo, whose political star almost fell on charges of Sululu sorcery.

- Former Japanese Finance Minister Soichi Nakagawa resigned a week ago after he was caught napping during the G7 finance ministers’ meeting in Rome. He was apparently drunk to keep awake during a press conference.

- Bill Clinton

Former US President. His presidency almost came tumbling down over a fling with Monica Lewisky, an intern at the White House.

- Moshe Katzav

Ex- Israeli President. The eighth president of the Jewish State resigned over allegations of rape and sexual harassment.

- Musikari Kombo

Nominated MP. He was first elected to Parliament in 1992, however his term ended nine months after a court ruled he had used ‘Khulia Silulu’ (black magic) to win his seat.

- Josephat Karanja

Former Vice President. He was accused of behaving like a small god when President Moi was away. He was removed through a Censure Motion.

And last week, Japan’s Finance Minister resigned after he was caught on the camera napping during the G7 finance ministers meeting in Rome, Italy. Mr Shoichi Nakagawa seemed to fall asleep during the conference. The story is that he had spent the previous day drinking instead of talking about how the global financial crisis has affected Japan.

"I have caused trouble to the people," Nakagawa said as he announced plans to step down after budget bills are passed. "I apologise for causing commotion from my careless health management." The loss of Nagakawa comes as a huge blow to Prime Minister Taro Aso’s already unpopular government, which is struggling with the nation’s worst economic crisis since 1974.

Back home Energy Minister Kiraitu Murungi, MP for Imenti South, was at it again recently, running off at the mouth in an impassioned plea for besieged Agriculture Minister William Ruto.

"I would not wish this (Censure of Motion) even on my worst enemy. I have been through this process, and I promise you, it is worse than going to Kamiti," he said.

As he spends the weekend in South Imenti, as he is wont to, the Energy Minister may want to ask himself that age-old literary question: "When did the rain begin to beat me?" He may be tempted to blame the ‘traitor’ John Githongo and his darn hidden tapes and other 21st century mumbo-jumbo gizmos, now immortalised in words in British journalist, Michaela Wrong’s new book, It is Our Turn to Eat."

But Kiraitu’s troubles did not begin with Githongo. If one remembers correctly, Kiraitu’s woes really began with one "small" statement, "... it is like raping a woman who is only too willing," followed by that merry Father Christmas laugh "ho ho ho!"

This was in 2005 when he was at the Justice ministry.

The following day, then Health Minister Charity Ngilu stormed the Justice offices with a troupe of willingly wailing women, and even sat on Kiraitu’s ministerial chair, complaining "Murungi has disgraced himself by demeaning women." Naturally, the minister had fled his office – as any wise man would upon news of the imminent arrival of angry women.

One small personal quirk, that "ho ho ho" laugh had infuriated Ngilu at her home, and the same "ho ho ho" laugh on the much more serious "Githongo tapes" would give Kiraitu Murungi the mien of a ‘sinister swindler,’ laughing all the way as the world evaporated around him. The laugh, literally, would be the landmark of his troubles.

If Yagnesh ‘Triton’ Devani is the latest dubious dervish howling at Kiraitu, albeit from a distance, then Brother Paul Kamlesh Pattni almost dealt Paul Muite a near fatal hand in politics, 15 years ago.

After claiming that he, Pattni, had given the grand old doyen of the Opposition, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, Sh2 million towards ‘campaign expenses,’ Kamlesh Pattni dropped the other cut, ten times deeper.

"Paul Muite, MP for Kabete, took Sh20 million shillings from me through his company, Multi Phases," Pattni said live on television, accusing the multi-faceted lawyer and politician of ‘hypocrisy.’ Had Muite kept off, the entire scandal would have blown away like a little puff of smoke on the horizon ... so shredded was Pattni’s reputation in 1994.

But Muite kicked up a big fuss about Pattni’s buzz, and in an incredible faux pas, sent a fax to a media house denying the existence of ‘Multi Phases’ ... on a paper with a letter-head bearing the legend ‘Multi Phases.’

"Did Muite get Sh20 million from Pattni?" screamed newspaper headlines across the land, this at the height of Muite’s anti-corruption crusade against Kamlesh.

Soon after, Muite completely went off the radar of Kenya’s most eligible presidential candidates before cautiously re-emerging.

Muite’s Waterloo

By then, the damage had been done! Once seen as the Top of the Young Turks, indeed briefly considered as a compromise presidential candidate in 1992 to re-unite the split Ford vehicles of Jamramogi and Kenneth Matiba, eating turkey with Pattni reversed Muite’s fortunes in a way he’s never quite recovered from.

First of all, from being first among heirs in Ford, by the time Jaramogi Odinga died, Muite was at a political nadir as Raila Odinga and late Kijana Wamalwa became the Opposition nabobs of politics.

Today, while all the former ‘young Turks’ are firmly in the saddles of power, Muite remains on the periphery of politics, now having lost even his Kikuyu seat – this from a fellow once considered ‘presidential material.’