Former director-general of the National Museums of Kenya, Dr. Mzalendo Kibunjia Nyagah

In July this year, we unearthed a can of worms at the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) where the immediate former Director-General, Dr. Mzalendo Kibunjia Nyagah, is reported to have left a long trail of plunder, graft, and nepotism during his eight-year tenure.

Trusted insiders described his leadership as a disastrous nightmare.

His appointment saw the birth of constant staff intimidation, nonpayment of dues, and oppression of labour leaders.

He successfully crippled the workers’ union, and this effectively ensured that things like annual wage increments were a thing of the past.

Dr. Kibunjia executed all these irregularities through the help of his loyal cronies, carefully plucked from the hundreds of his tribesmen from Tharaka, who invaded the corporation immediately after he took over.

It is rumored that the move was a ploy to gain popularity in his native constituency, where he has always been heavily involved in politics.

The mass employment of his kinsmen allowed him to control NMK like his personal kiosk.

In fact, even before campaigns officially began, Dr. Kibunjia was already making trips to rural Tharaka using NMK’s official SUV— a Toyota Prado.

In case you missed out on that explosive article, you can check by clicking the thumbnail below.

Tharaka Nithi Gubernatorial Aspirant Mzalendo Kibunjia Leaves Trail of Plunder, Graft and Nepotism At National Museums of Kenya

Six months after our exposé on the mega graft, corruption, plunder, nepotism and kickback-for-jobs at NMK, perpetrators of these crimes, Mzalendo Kibunjia and his close associates, have plunged into deep panic.

This is after they learnt of an ongoing investigation by sleuths from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) who have pitched camp at the state corporation for the last year.

The probe has so far revealed how Mzalendo and finance staff sold jobs to the highest bidders and how the head of administration Sudi Mwiti led a team of inexperienced maintenance artisans to do a road in Memorial Museums where they misappropriated Sh14 million.

They failed to follow procurement laws and did not produce any receipts to justify the spending.

The Kibuja administration sacrificed fairness, experience, and professionalism at the altar of nepotism, mediocrity, and patronage.

EACC has summoned top managers, including directors, to Integrity House to record statements relating to the institution operating with two payrolls carrying a total of 105 ghost workers.

The ghost workers mainly included close relatives, friends and associates of the corporation’s staff.

The most affected was the finance department.

It is also established that a letter written to the outgoing Principal Secretary (PS) outlining recommendations to curb the vices, the vices, particularly of selling jobs, was never implemented.

As a result, KCB has withdrawn staff loan services to NMK, due to dozens of illegally employed workers who applied for loans that they could no longer service once the double payroll scandal was unearthed.

This has denied genuine workers access to loans.

In a letter doing the rounds on social media dated November 18, 2022, EACC summoned Dr Kibunjia to record statements and shed more light on the scam.

It is claimed that the financial controller Geoffrey Namachanja and Mwiti Sudi were major accomplices in this double payroll scandal, which continued for eight good years during Mzalendo’s tenure.

Mr Namachanja reportedly has an insatiable appetite for being included in all trips for him to enjoy per diems.

The National Museums of Kenya’s financial budgets since FY 2014/15 have been under strict scrutiny.

About four months ago, two payroll staff, Oliver Rabuor and Wycliffe Ongata, were suspended and have been out in the cold.

Other key suspects and accomplices are still running scot-free.

Kibunjia was jilted politically in the recently concluded elections when his two running mates deserted him one after the other when he ran for the Tharaka Nithi governorship on Narc Kenya.

He was forced to step down reluctantly in favour of his rival Muthomi Njuki of UDA.

As things stand, his bank accounts have been frozen.

This has left him begging for handouts from all manner of people, including staff who seem to be happy with his tribulations.

Meanwhile, NMK staff are closely following the drama as it unfolds, with the hope that the wheels of justice will take its due course and Kibunjia as well as his partners in crime, face trial and be sentenced to jail.

According to a report by Auditor-General Nancy Gathungu, NMK’s audited accounts for the 2020/21 financial year show that the corporation is broke.

The current liabilities are Sh276.85 million against assets of Shh137.68 million, translating to negative working capital of Sh139.17 million.

The report raises concerns about the Sh226.02 million Fort Jesus Unesco World Heritage site in Mombasa that has stalled.

The project was a conduit used by Kibunjia and Namachanja to loot millions.

At the time it stalled, Sh108.37 million had already been paid to a local contractor undertaking the construction of the heritage site project.

The audit notes that the delay in completion may result in cost escalation and that the public may not get value for the funds already pumped into the project.

A site visit by the auditors indicated that the local contractor was not on site and had not been on the ground since December 2021.

Further Shs59.35 million Vasco da Gama Seawall and concrete repairs project has overshot its completion period.

The works on the Fort Jesus project started on September 3, 2020, with the completion date set for March 3, 2021, before being extended twice — to June 3, 2021, and September 15, 2021.

The Vasco Da Gama Seawall and concrete repairs project started on May 25, 2020 and was to be completed on May 10, 2021.

The report reveals, the contractor had finished the works and handed over the project to NMK, audit verification in February this year show that the pavement on the eastern wall had cracked and part of the ground had sunk.

The central walkway pavement concrete had also cracked.

The cracks cast doubt on whether the affected area has been filled with gunny bags or selected boulders, as proposed in the bills of quantities.

SK Macharia, Founder and Chairman of Royal Media Services (RMS)

An employee of Samuel Kamau ‘SK’ Macharia-owned Royal Media Services has died from suspected food poisoning.

According to Tuko, the staff was among those that had remained behind to work during the Christmas period and the company had organised a catering firm to bring them meals.

Cnyakundi.com has since established the dead employee’s name is Hellen.

Hellen complained of abdominal pains on Tuesday, December 27, shortly after serving a buffet prepared by a hired catering firm.

She would later succumb to food poisoning.

The catering firm is an outfit best known at RMS and according to sources, it is reputable.

Other staff that partook the meals were also affected and most are hospitalised.

Those affected are staff working for vernacular radio and TV stations.

May Hellen rest in peace.

More to follow.

A photo collage of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Collins Kipleting Serem

The search for fame in today’s world can be an unending, dark pit.

This is the story of 22-year-old Collins Kipleting Serem alias Reng Star, a benga artist based in Kamplemur village in Sugoi, Uasin Gishu County, who was arrested by detective on December 18 for impersonating Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Facebook.

Detectives nabbed the suspect at Kipleting market as he wheeled his time away on a game of pool with his friends.

They had traced his phone to the village in Sugoi and established that he was a local artist.

They devised a cover story to lure him to their vehicle before arresting him on the spot.

After driving around for a few minutes, Collins overheard one of the officers’ conversations on the phone, sensed that he was under arrest, and attempted to flee.

“He opened the door and started screaming for help, alarming the villagers, who then charged at the officers with stones,” a local resident who witnessed the chaos narrated.

Adding: “The helpless detectives were saved by intervention by officers from the local police station.”

It was then that he was bundled into the detectives’ car and driven to Nairobi.

In his statement, Collins told detectives that his motive from the beginning was to gain followers by posing as the DP, but later changed the page’s name to his so that the followers could access his music.

Fact-checkers flagged the page as fake.

Though he told detectives he regrets his actions, he confessed that the arrest granted him a rare chance to make his maiden trip to Nairobi city.

Since his arrest, Collins has been cooling his heels at the Central Police Station as he awaits his day in court.

UBA Bank Chairman James Olubayi

Kenya flagged more than Sh15 billion in just three years before the August election, which were later frozen by the High Court over suspicion of being proceeds of crime and money laundering.

The firms whose billions were frozen were mainly start-ups incorporated elsewhere with links in Kenya and Nigerians and had wired millions of shillings from West Africa, Asia and Middle East.

The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) claimed that shell companies were also incorporated in Kenya for purposes of taking advantage of the liberal financial system to launder funds from foreign jurisdictions.

The firms whose billions of shillings were frozen included Flutterwave Ltd, Elivalat Fintech Ltd, Hupesi Solutions, Boxtrip Travels and Tours, Bagtrip Travels Ltd, KiwiPay, KoraPay Technologies and Cruz Ride Auto Ltd.

The agency then followed the freeze with applications to forfeit the billions to the government as the owners of the companies fought the allegations.

However, things took a different turn after the August 9 polls as the agency made applications withdrawing petitions seeking seizure of the funds.

The first companies to get back their money were three Nigerian companies, namely Avalon Off shore Logistics Limited, OIT Africa Limited and RemX Capital Limited, which were at the centre of an international money laundering syndicate and were at risk of losing Sh5.7 billion to the State as proceeds of crime.

The largest amount belonged to OIT Africa Ltd, with Sh4.8 billion in two bank accounts at Equity and one in UBA.

Avalon Off shore Logistics had Sh43.5 million in two Equity accounts, while RemX Capital had Sh765 million banked in one account at UBA.

The ARA felt the two banks had a case to answer since the suspicious billions started flowing into the accounts in 2020.

When they began investigations in February 2022, they suspected that the money could be proceeds of crime because the transactions were conducted suspiciously through six bank accounts in Equity and UBA.

The law requires Kenyan banks to alert the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC) of suspicious transactions under anti-money laundering laws, including reporting large transactions and undertaking due diligence on customers.

A search at the registrar of companies revealed that OIT Africa is owned by Vionnah Akoth Odongo and Kenneth Odongo Raminya, with 500 shares each.

The company was registered on July 14, 2017.

OIT Africa operates from 680 Plaza, the building that hosts the 680 Hotel.

The mobile number is registered under the name of a different person, who denies any knowledge of OIT Africa and Ms Odongo and Mr Raminya.

Despite all these discrepancies, UBA Bank failed to alert the UFC about the suspicious transactions.

The UBA Bank board, led by white-collar criminal James Olubayi was also aware of the irregular deposits but kept silent.

Mr Olubayi has been in the past exposed as a scammer who moonlights government parastatals and institutions and influencing tenders.

Olubayi is a well-known wheeler-dealer in the insurance industry and was at one time regarded as the head of the Kenyan insurance cartel that defrauds billions of taxpayers’ money.

He once worked for the Government before moving to the current position where he is the majority shareholder through proxy companies.

He reportedly owns Pioneer Insurance through multiple proxies.

His brother sits on the board of the company.

Olubayi’s Modus operandi involves calling, sponsoring media stories and even using state agencies to fight competitors.

He was once alleged to have has pocketed the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) and using it to fight competitors.

Just like other thieves stealing from the public and private sector, Olubayi has been laundering his money into the real-estate sector.

At one time, the chief editor of this site’s Chief Editor Cyprian Nyakundi disclosed that his briefcase company, retirement schemes administrator, Zamara, was among those companies that were being favored in a Kenya Pipeline deal.

We also received credible reports that his companies evade taxes in shocking figures.

As the chairman of UBA Bank, Olubayi has masterminded many scandals and was among the key personalities that forced Isaac Mwige, the chief executive of UBA Kenya, to leave the bank after four years on the job.

The bank has been in the news for advancing loans to companies that later defaulted after a mix of losses, heavy debt burden and mismanagement.

UBA is among a group of banks that advanced loans to Nakumatt Holdings, Uchumi Supermarkets and Deacons East Africa.

All defaulted on their loans and later collapsed or went into administration.

UBA is owed some Sh345 million by ARM Cement, Sh172 million by Uchumi, Sh250 million by Nakumatt and Sh98.3 million by Deacons.

Nakumatt went into voluntary administration in 2018.

As the chair of UBA bank, Olubai should have resigned, but being a hard-core criminal, Olubai knows how to shift blame to others and act like a saved man, yet he is a white-collar corporate thief.

Coast Water Works Development Agency

Trouble is brewing at the Coast Water Works Development Agency after a petitioner moved to court seeking the revocation of the advertisement for the recruitment of the new CEO.

The petitioner cites the Water Act 2016, which he says was grossly violated.

The activist also wants revocation of the Board of Management appointees, which he says does not conform to the two-thirds gender rule.

He also wants the illegal change of organization structure done at the agency revoked with immediate effect.

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KTDA CEO Wilson Muthaura

Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) chief executive officer Wilson Muthaura has been found in contempt of court after failing to act on orders issued on reinstating the Managing Director of the Kenya Tea Packers (Ketepa) Albert Otochi and the General Manager of KTDA Power Company Japheth Sayi.

In a ruling dated December 15, 2022, Judge B O Manani, also directed the CEO to reinstate the full salary of the two officials, which had been cut to half after their suspension in September.

Sources privy to the matter, however, say that Muthaura has vowed not to follow the orders.

He was recently overheard stating that if he is forced to bring anyone back, they will be frustrated into quitting.

One way he plans to do this is by fixing them into multiple scandals and later giving them up to authorities.

Muthaura has bragged of enjoying the backing of powerful officials in the Kenya Kwanza administration, including President William Ruto.

He says that Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi is always on his speed dial whenever he needs favours from government.

In a letter dated September 22, KTDA suspended Mr Otochi and another company official and placed them on half salary, however, the court restrained the agency from effecting the directive.

The two officials went to court in September after they were served with a show-cause notice for allegedly interacting with some directors of KTDA.

According to Mr Otochi, Mr Muthaura is misrepresenting himself as the group chief executive officer, yet he is the general manager of human resources and administration and hence not his supervisor.

He says issuing the letter when he is not his supervisor is unlawful.

He further says the CEO started the disciplinary process against him, while the human resource policy says suspension should only be issued where there are pending investigations.

Mr Otochi says he was suspended, yet there are no pending investigations.

Further, he says the group HR policy also allows him to interact with directors, and the purported charges for gross misconduct for interacting with directors are illegal.

Mr Muthaura was appointed as KTDA’s chief executive following the suspension of the former head, Lerionka Tiampati.

Sasini Group Managing Director Martin R. Ochien’g

A section of tea growers supplying tea to Sasini, a major producer in the country, is crying out for justice, citing mistreatment by the company.

The multinational company has unfairly refused to remit tea bonuses to the group of farmers, claiming that they skipped one month of supply, hence they are disqualified from the 2021/22 payment list.

However, the suppliers insist that the declaration is not based on any concrete law, but simply a greedy move by the company’s executives to illegally pocket their funds.

“Hi Nyakundi,

I am a tea grower of a multinational tea company called Sasini.

I have been supplying green leaves from January 2021 until October 2022.

I failed to deliver only in November, after which they paid their tea bonuses for the financial year September 2021 to September 2022.

The company claimed to have introduced a policy whereby if a farmer fails to deliver green leaf for just one month, then you don’t warrant to get a bonus claiming that you aren’t consistent.

From my understanding, tea bonuses have always been the second payment for the green leaf supplied for the year and not a reward for consistency.

It is the right of every grower who delivers tea green leaves.

This isn’t just a complaint from me, but from other growers as well.

This is impunity that should be fought from all corners since every grower deserves fair treatment.

Who took our second payment?” asked a source who wrote to us under the request of anonymity.

Sasini is one of Kenya’s major tea and coffee producers and is one of the country’s “Big 6” tea producers.

The company’s headquarters are located in Nairobi and the company’s stock is listed on the Nairobi Stock Exchange.

It is a member of the Sameer Group of Companies.

Coptic Mission Hospital, Nairobi

Employees have spoken out against poor working conditions at Coptic Hospital’s lab department, saying the environment is very toxic with constant profiling and frustration through an unfair duty rota.

Writing to this blog under the request of anonymity, an insider fingered one man named Allan Mungai as the cause of their misery.

“Mungai is the one in charge of making the duty rota of the staff at the hospital’s lab department. He is some small god in here. In fact, at least sisi wanaume, the ladies get it so rough because this beast makes advances at them, then you are being harassed,” the source informed us.

The employees accuse Mungai of delegating duties to one of his divas named Susan Ndungu.

She calls the shots on the posting of staff, which is beyond her official roles.

“Kupangwa kazi vile one of his divas namely Susan Ndungu wishes. Susan was made to be in charge of Phlebotomy, but it’s like she always has her way. She decides utafanya wapi saa na saa ngapi just because they are a thing with Allan,” the source laments.

Labor laws dictate that employees in the lab department should do a 48-hour duty in a week, but with the two lovebirds at the helm, most find themselves working for over 90 hours and are often punished over trivial misunderstandings.

On the other hand, they always accord some specific individuals special treatment when drafting the duty rota.

“Just because you refused Allan Mungai’s advances, or you were of a contrary opinion to ‘Her majesty’ Susan’s school of thought, she will irritate you and then tell Allan what to do with you.

Allan and Susan work with close associates, the close associates who insult you, but the moment you try defending yourself they will use the rota to frustrate you” the source told us.

Adding: “There are people doing specific shifts.

For instance, some people never work on Sundays and night shifts and before a rota is written they are asked what is comfortable for them. Sisi unapangwa kazi kuwa thrown anyhow, and they wait for you to complain that you face dismissal.”

The oppressed staff say that despite being fully aware of the depressing situation, Lead HR Marion Atieno has been unavailable whenever they try to reach out and express their grievances.

“This nepotism, tribalism, and favoritism are making us unable to offer the best. With long working hours towards those who don’t get along with Susan or refused advances of Allan you can work all night shifts yet their associates do less than 48hrs weekly.

Their inner circle of associates are always ghosting and never present but their hours still add up because the rota submitted to the bosses is different from the one plastered on the memo board,” the insider reveals.

They have vowed to pick up the matter with higher powers at the private mission hospital, in the hope that justice will be served.

“Where shall we run to? To whom shall we go? We don’t have people like Allan and Susan.

I know the Director Mr Sskar who is not privy to these, will be shocked to find out.

The two are taking Coptic down in terms of service delivery.

My wish is that with all these unethical practices, the labour personnel need to do a prompt visit because we are at the mercy of Allan and Susan.

You can’t attend to patients while in a toxic work environment. Being a patient while attending to patients is a no!” the source concludes.

Harambee Sacco 

Sleuths from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) have launched a probe into Harambee Sacco and its officials over corruption and embezzlement of funds.

This latest investigation has led to a mass exodus of members who are fearing for the safety of their savings.

Experts now warn that if immediate action is not taken, the previously vibrant Sacco might slowly degrade into an eventual collapse.

Aside from corruption allegations, EACC is looking into claims that Sacco’s leadership sold a host of properties, including the Matundu lane Property in Westlands, Harambee Sacco property in Donholm, the Harambee members property in Nyali in Mombasa and another property in Parklands.

A few months ago, EACC ordered the Ethics Commission for Cooperatives to start the probe into the matter and, up to date, nothing has been done.

“The commission received information of the alleged sale of two properties alleged to have been sold by some officials without notifying the members, and the properties belonged to Harambee Sacco,” the letter seen by cnyakundi.com reads in part.

It is approximated that the two properties are worth Sh256 million, but the appropriated cash of the said other plots mentioned above is yet to be revealed but it involves millions.

According to a member of the Sacco, the management has continued to defraud the Sacco and has become rude at the same time.

“Every day, we get news of our properties being sold by our leaders.

I urge the Anti-corruption body to crack the whip and bring justice to our doors,” the source said.

City tycoon Joel Kibe when he appeared in court for causing death via drink-driving in 2016

Sleuths from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) have laid a trap at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) as they earnestly wait for the return of Joel Kibe, the controversial city tycoon that was unmasked as the owner of the collapsed seven-storey building that killed three people and left scores injured in Kasarani, Nairobi, on 16th November 2022.

Following the catastrophic incident, Kibe, a former director of Cooper Motors Corporation (CMC) and the Chairman of the Jubilee Party Business Council, fled into hiding in Europe.

This was a strategy to buy time for temperatures to cool down before he could silently jet back into the country.

Detectives have, however, been closely following his moves amidst pressure from powerful forces at State House.

Sources say that top officials in the William Ruto administration are strongly pushing for his arrest and prosecution for causing the death of innocent Kenyans.

Before it collapsed, the residential building was under construction and had shown signs of weakness, including visible cracks.

Government officials had inspected the construction site and asked workers to leave, but the developer told them to continue.

Kibe is reportedly in deep panic and afraid of returning to Kenya, where a new regime—which he vehemently opposed in the last elections—is now in power.

During the 2022 campaigns, Kibe was part of the infamous Mt Kenya billionaires’ club that showered Azimio La Umoja coalition with wads of cash, hoping they would emerge victorious.

He personally contributed over Sh200 million to the Raila Odinga-led outfit, which dreadfully lost to President William Ruto’s Kenya Kwanza Alliance in the hotly contested August polls.

The loss was a big blow to Kibe, who previously enjoyed deep connections in Rtd. President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration.

This granted him the privilege to get away with all sorts of crimes, including murder, land grabbing and fraud.

In February 2016, Kibe was charged with causing death by dangerous driving under the influence of alcohol in Runda, Nairobi.

He was accused of knocking down a sentry box and injuring Charles Wachira, who later succumbed to injuries.

He was released on a cash bail of Sh100,000.

A video clip of the incident that circulated on social media showed that Kibe has no regard for human life.

He equated the bodily harm on the soldier to the dent in his vehicle.

“Nimepiga barrier, gari yangu imeumia, tumeumia sisi sote,” a visibly drunk Kibe slurred at the scene of the crime.

In June this year, he was accused of grabbing a two-acre piece of land belonging to former State House junior employee Samson Kandie in Runda, Nairobi.

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has obtained orders to freeze assets worth Sh62 million belonging to a senior official in the Ministry of Transport.

The commission was granted the orders by the High Court against David Isika on December 20, after filing a notice of motion on December 19.

Others comprise Sh4,923,705 in a bank account belonging to a company associated with the official and Sh1,500,000 in cash.

The money was seized by EACC who executed a search warrant at his residence. It was in denominations of Sh1,000.

The orders come during an ongoing recovery suit of suspected unexplained wealth, belonging to the official, amounting to Sh186,123,957.

EACC further wants the High Court to order the official to pay the difference of Sh123,800,252 to the government.

The commission began its investigations in the matter following receipt of credible information that the official had engaged in corrupt conduct leading to the acquisition of assets beyond his known legitimate sources of income.

During the period of interest, January 2014 and June 2021, it was established that the suspect earned a net salary of Sh5,950,783.

It further found out that he had acquired wealth amounting to Sh186,123,957. which he could not explain.

Investigations further established a scheme to conceal the unexplained assets through family members, business fronts and corporate entities.

This prompted the filing of the recovery suit.

The orders, issued by Lady Justice Esther Maina on December 20, will be in force until the case is heard and determined.

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City Hall, Nairobi

Detectives based in Nairobi have written to City Hall’s Lands Department investigating the ownership of a disputed piece of land in Parklands area after businessman Daniel Kimani expressed regret of losing Sh7.4 million during a botched processing of the title deed.

The land that measures 0.45600 hectares is registered as LR 209/4593/5 Parklands Road, Westlands, just opposite the Parklands Police Station.

He claims that Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko’s Economic Advisor Githende Gachanja and his Personal Assistant Daniel Mwangi Gatambo swindled him the amount in 2019.

Documents show that the land was initially allocated to ‘Alex Caetang Lactancio De Sousa’ in 1954 for a lease of 48 years and eight months.

But according to the complainant, Gachanja falsely alleged that ‘Lactancio’ died and left his cook behind who took over the land.

The ‘cook’ was reportedly unable to renew the lease and process the title, hence the land reverting to the County Government.

Gachanja and Gatambo promised Kimani that they would facilitate the renewal of the lease and smoothen the process of transferring the title to a discrete entity.

The recipient company was created by Gachanja.

They planned to sell the land later and share the spoils.

Kimani was to pocket Sh15 million from the proceeds of the ‘deal’.

“I was told that the MP Shah Hospital wants to buy the land to use it as a parking lot. Gachanja took me to his office at City Hall and told me to give him the money to facilitate the transactions,” Kimani lamented.

This was a brazen lie because documents showed that the Nairobi City County Planning Technical committee met on 04/04/2019 and recommended approval for lease renewal to the National Land Commission.

After he gave out the cash, he later realized that they showed him fake documents.

“I realized they had duped me. I demanded my money back and Gachanja is yet to pay me. He promised to pay me back on 12th June 2019 but has been lying since and sometimes he does not respond,” Kimani explained.

On his part, Gachanja’s counterpart Gatambo keeps insisting that the ‘deal’ is genuine but just delayed.

He further blamed Kimani for handing part of the money to strangers from City Hall instead of strictly dealing with Gachanja.

“Because we were the ones who oversaw the deal, we agreed to compensate him for his lost cash. But they gave some money to one Kevin and Oluoch who went and bought flashy cars,” Gatambo said.

Gatambo has another copy of a lease he claims to be from the Ministry of Lands that was given to one Peter Muange Kimuyu, LR NO 209/4593/5 deed plan number 402577, measuring approximately 0.1847 hectares for 99 years.

He lied that the lease was issued on September 1, 2002, but he claims it was issued last week.

Former Nairobi County officials; Wilson Nashon Kanani, Michael Auka Ajwang and Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba

Netizens have been taken aback by the story of three former Nairobi County officials; Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba, Wilson Nashon Kanani and Michael Auka Ajwang who held a years-long heist on City Hall’s coffers and pocketed billions of shillings, interfering with plans to better the city.

Sleuths from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) started keeping an eye on Kiamba’s vast portfolio worth over half a billion shillings on November 5, 2014, seeking to recover assets he acquired during his tenure as an accountant.

The inquiry disclosed that Kiamba’s key role was to ensure the banking of millions collected by City Hall officials in several departments.

Although money was always banked, the deposits were made in accounts that did not belong to City Hall.

Records show that when he first gained employment at City Hall in January 2007, Kiamba and his wife Tracy Mbinya Musau were worth Sh1 million.

They listed their wealth as a plot of land in Athi River worth Sh400,000 and a car valued at Sh600,000.

A year later, the couple had built rental flats on the Athi River land and made Sh300,000 from tenants.

Throughout the construction phase, they only incurred the liability of a Sh50,000 loan from Cooperative Bank.

“This was an indication that the property development was either developed from cash payments or the couple borrowed millions and repaid it all in less than a year,” EACC says in a report.

Their net worth jumped to Sh401 million by 2013.

Between January and November 2014, Kiamba banked Sh400 million in eight of his bank accounts, which made him an A-list embezzler and a big shot amongst the fabled City Hall cartels.

Unsurprisingly, this drew the attention of the taxman, who dug deeper and that Kiamba had an additional three secret bank accounts that EACC detectives had not traced.

Even more shocking, they found out that the man on a Sh85,000 monthly salary banked at least Sh1.5 billion in the period of interest.

Several City Hall employees would deposit millions in Kiamba’s various accounts, the most prominent being his bodyguard Barnabas Oigo with Sh69.1 million banked.

Others were clerk Ambrose Musa (Sh3.5 million), driver Josephat Njoroge (Sh1.3 million), deputy chief financial officer Stephen Ogaga (Sh4.1 million), an unidentified individual (Sh6 million) and  Mr Kiamba (Sh7.4 million).

Despite a heavy cloud of graft hanging above his head, Kiamba still got a pay rise and was on Sh145,000 a month before leaving City Hall in 2015.

In defending his ill-gotten riches, Mr Kiamba claimed a 100-acre farm he was leasing in Narok generated Sh51.5 million.

He added that he had a quarry and transport business that generated Sh228 million and three bars in Mombasa.

His other businesses and property sales earned Sh35.3 million.

When the High Court applied its various tests on the submitted arguments in July 2019, the judge ruled that the Sh317.6 million found to be unexplained wealth be forfeited to the state.

She further ordered the forfeiture of the Runda land in Kiamba’s name.

Although Kiamba’s case sounds like one of the most shocking tales to come out of City Hall, he is just one of the dozens of county officials living large on average salaries.

Earlier this month, the EACC launched a similar inquest into a lower-ranking City Hall official, namely Wilson Nashon Kanani, who earns Sh55,000 every month but has assets worth nearly Sh100 million.

Kanani is a development control officer tasked with clamping down on companies that flout laws on outdoor advertising.

But the companies he regulates send vast sums of money to his bank accounts.

Wilson Nashon Kanani was banking millions of stolen funds every month.

In social circles, Kanani is silently known as one of the principal shareholders of 1824 Bar & Restaurant in Nairobi’s Lang’ata suburb.

Detectives say they have reason to believe that the nightclub, one of Nairobi’s most popular establishments, was founded with proceeds of graft.

According to court papers, 1824 opened its doors in 2014, two years before the investigation that the EACC declared in court papers.

But should the anti-graft detectives succeed in court, he will probably be forced to surrender the asset.

The EACC has filed forfeiture proceedings against Kanani, his family and four companies he owns in a bid to recover millions of shillings.

The companies are Wilman Auto Invests, Willy Walla International Ltd, Regineez Enterprises Ltd and Wilcoreg Ltd.

The anti-corruption watchdog argues some of the companies are doing business with Nairobi County, a clear conflict of interest.

Wilcoreg Ltd is one of the firms in the National Assembly’s pool of stationery suppliers.

Wilcoreg is also in Siaya County’s pool of firms that drill boreholes, construct dams, water pans, roads and bridges.

Recently, EACC probed City Hall procurement officer Michael Auka Ajwang, earning Sh53,685 monthly.

Ajwang’s net salary is Sh21,000, but he is by no means an ordinary citizen.

He is suspected of receiving kickbacks amounting to Sh40 million from various contractors.

Within a short period, he has accumulated five pieces of land in Siaya County, three in Kisumu County, and owns a plush home in Nairobi’s Utawala estate.

He also boasts of 11 vehicles whose models the anti-graft watchdog is yet to name.

Ajwang owns the Hydeout Riviera, a three-star hotel just off the busy Kisumu-Bondo Road, at Reru junction.

The hotel boasts of offering one of the best agritourism experiences, with farm stay options on its list of unique services.

The EACC traced back his finances from 2014 when he started receiving suspicious bank deposits.

The court granted the commission’s request to freeze the assets for the duration of the case, to avoid opening the door for Ajwang to dispose of properties or drain his bank accounts.

Kiamba, Kanani and Ajwang are simply a small fraction of millionaires made at City Hall.

Kanani and Ajwang’s innocence or otherwise will be determined by the courts.

A photo collage of ex-AMWIK Board Chairperson Jane Thuo alongside ex-Vice Chairperson, Rachel Ombaka

Weeks after this blog exposed massive fraud at the Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK), the organization was hit by a wave of resignations, as key members of its troubled board sought to flee from the stinking mess they created.

In our previous publication, we highlighted the sickening corruption that went into appointing one Patience Nyange, for the Executive Director position and the appalling actions of the Board, led by Chairperson Jane Thuo who sent Vice Chairperson, Rachel Ombaka, to fish for dirt to disqualify the top candidate, Jackline Lidubwi.

Massive Corruption and Favoritism at The Association of Media Women in Kenya

Ms Lidubwi had initially been given an offer letter, but then later, deals were cut, and the same job was given to one Ms. Nyange, who was a gubernatorial candidate for Taita Taveta in the recently concluded polls.

The Board later pathetically tried to justify their mistakes and favouritism in discriminating against one lady, possibly due to her tribe and other factors not related to performance.

The aggrieved victim sought legal redress, demanding that AMWIK issues an unconditional, unquantified, and prominent apology within 24 hours.

Jackline Lidubwi Takes Corrupt AMWIK Board To Court Over Unfair Disqualification From Executive Director Position

That incident led to an uproar among members, forcing chairperson Dr Jane Thuo and three other board members to resign on December 9 during a heated Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).

Members who spoke said that the wrangles were undermining the association’s core value to support media women’s rights and dignity.

During the meeting, the chairperson acknowledged that the board had infringed upon human resource procedures during the recruitment process and was, therefore, wrong.

Members, therefore, directed that the recruitment be nullified and carried out afresh with both candidates free to reapply.

Things hit fever-pitch when the unfairly appointed Patience Nyange threatened to sue AMWIK if her contract was withdrawn.

This infuriated members, who insisted that the right thing must be done for AMWIK to uphold its reputation as an organization that champions integrity.

With members maintaining that their direction was final, the chairperson Jane Thuo stepped down.

Vice Chairperson, Rachel Ombaka, led the rest of the EGM, but she too resigned via a message on AMWIK’s WhatsApp group, after which Cylia Kathambi and Jane Godia also communicated their resignation from the board.

Members have, however, expressed deep concerns that none of the board members who resigned has officially left the office, with some still acting on behalf of AMWIK.

They have called on relevant legal authorities to move in and investigate the appalling state of affairs at the organization.

AMWIK now faces a bleak future with a raging tug of war and the exit of top foreign sponsors who have been financing its operations.

City lawyer Cecil Miller has lost a case in which he had sued Former Governor Mike Sonko over a series of call recordings that he had posted on his social media handles.

Sonko posted the call recordings and several other videos to show that Miller and former Kilifi Governor candidate George Kithi colluded with other individuals to ensure that he was impeached.

In the petition dated 1st December 2021, Miller raised issues in respect of unlawfully recorded telephone conversations between him and Sonko and Amana Sidi Jirani.

Miller in an affidavit had told Court that on unknown dates separate private conversations between him, Sonko & Jirani recordings (conversations one and two respectively) were done without his consent.

Miller was seeking orders to stop Sonko from further posting, publishing or broadcasting on social media or any other media any video or recording of the conversations.

Miller in his submission argued that the motive behind the recording of the private conversation was meant to malign his reputation before his clients, colleagues and friends which an infringement of his inherent right to have his dignity respected and protected.

However, the Court through Justice Ongundi trashed trashed Miller’s argument stating that he failed to attach CDs and flash disks with the recordings he claimed violated his right to privacy.

This was a win for Sonko who despite being served with the court papers, he not hire lawyers, enters appearances or files a defence in the case.

“Without these gadgets, the Court is not in a position to confirm the petitioner’s claims.”, Court ruled.

Miller sued Sonko in November 2021 and obtained orders barring Sonko from publishing more videos or call recordings that may tarnish his name.

“Under the law, he who alleges a fact must prove it. It was the duty of the petitioner to prove the allegations against the respondents by placing material before this court in support of his claims, of recordings and publication,” said Justice Ongudi before throwing the case out.

“This is a requirement despite the fact that the respondents did not file a response to the petition. The court can only issue the orders sought upon being satisfied that indeed the alleged recordings and postings exist. In this case, the petitioner has not proved any of the above and the petition must fail,” said the judge.

Orlando Lyomu, CEO Standard Group

Kenya Union of Journalists press release on non-payment of salaries and exploitation of staff by Standard Group Limited
December 30, 2022

Today marks the seventh day after the Kenya Union of Journalists (KUJ) issued a strike notice to Standard Group Limited over among others, non-payment of salaries, remittance of Sacco savings and statutory deductions. This is a violation of labour laws and the Constitution.
All the above have serious implications for staff who are on the verge of losing their savings in the Sacco and are likely to face difficulties in future when applying for some vital documents.

The company cannot hide behind the post Covid19 effects, since the violation of workers’ rights started before the pandemic. The company used dubious means to remove staff from the union in order to expose them for exploitation. In addition, the company declined to implement some clauses of CBA, particularly payment of Leave Allowance.
These paved the way for the violation of workers’ rights and now non-payment of salaries that has seen staff owed three-months salary arrears, something that the management has refused to address or communicate to the staff.

This is inhuman and demonstrates impunity as staff have for the past three months struggled to meet their financial obligations in the wake of the soaring cost of living being experienced across the country. The staff have been deprived of dignity, especially during this festive season where families enjoy the fruit of their hard labour.

This insensitivity and don’t care attitude has been going on for three months, and to add salt to the injury, the management has unilaterally decided to chop the salaries of staff in total disregard to the Employment Act that protects salaries of staff from unlawful deductions. The company only 80 per cent of staff salaries for the month of October, and kept quiet about the remaining 20 per cent.

Under Article 41 of the Constitution, all employees are entitled to fair labour practice but SGL has over the past few years demonstrated that the rights of employees do not matter. It is in the public knowledge that SGL arbitrarily enforced pay cuts at the height of Covid-19 while other companies followed due process. This was overturned by the court and SGL was told the deducted money will be treated as a debt, pending the determination of the matter.

As if this was not enough, the company went ahead to suspend pension to punish staff further, and when it was reinstated, the company altered the scheme to the disadvantage of the staff.

The company has also been dragging its feet on pending Collective Bargaining negotiations to improve terms and conditions of service for the staff for a year now. In view of the above, KUJ issued a 14-day strike notice on December 23 and is calling on the staff to withdraw their labour from January 6 in the event our demands in the strike notice are not met.

Erick Oduor
Secretary-General

Majani Insurance Brokers Limited

Employees at ‘Majani Insurance Brokers’ have spoken out against what they term as blatant oppression and sickening nepotism portrayed by the firm’s rogue directors.

The insurance provider is a subsidiary of the troubled Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) whose scandals we have severally highlighted on this blog.

Nothing changed at KTDA as tea sector now riddled with corruption

Staff at the firm say that supervisors force them to work overtime shifts, especially during weekends, without proper compensation.

They only spare those lucky enough to have connections with godfathers in management.

This uninspiring situation has badly affected staff morale, with grave consequences expected in the near future.

“Hi, Cyprian.

Please hide my identity.

There is a lot of nepotism and oppression at Majani Insurance Brokers, a subsidiary owned by KTDA.

Staff are being forced to work even on Sunday nights in the name of serving clients.

Staff morale is very low, and this will make this company collapse very soon.

Majority of staff are in contracts for more than three years.

Only those who have Godfathers are been spared yet they are the most unproductive.

I know you fight for social justice.

Kindly highlight and enjoy your holidays,” a source within the company lamented.

KTDA’s Muthaura disrespects court by failing to execute order

I have a very painful issue concerning the Aga Khan doctor called Dr Dan Birya who wants to break my family.

Read More: Is Aga Khan University Hospital In Nairobi Cutting Costs By Hiring Quack Doctors?

Hello Nyakundi,

I’m Writing to inform you of the unprofessional conduct of Dr Dan Birya of Aga khan Juja medical clinic who takes advantage of female patients.

I believe it’s wrong and unethical for a doctor to knowingly engage in a relationship with a patient more so a patient who happens to be Married with a family and sleeping around with them.

It is with the Above knowledge that I want you to expose him because even after warning him he is still hitting on her.

I’m married to this lady and blessed with 2 kids but the Doctor entertained this till now and he knew she is married

I would like authorities to take up this matter and address the top level best and necessary steps to reprimand the said culprit taken as quickly as possible.

The Correspondence between him and My Spouse is well documented and their intentions however offensive have been put in the open, much to my disappointment which may lead to the dissolving of our marriage.

When I realized this was happening they were chatting through WhatsApp and I reached the guy to stop.

Only for them to start texting messages and deleting the evidence but I managed to get them in the recycle bin of her phone.

Coptic Mission Hospital, Nairobi

Employees have spoken out against poor working conditions at Coptic Hospital’s lab department, saying the environment is very toxic with constant profiling and frustration through an unfair duty rota.

Writing to this blog under the request of anonymity, an insider fingered one man named Allan Mungai as the cause of their misery.

“Mungai is the one in charge of making the duty rota of the staff at the hospital’s lab department. He is some small god in here. In fact, at least sisi wanaume, the ladies get it so rough because this beast makes advances at them, then you are being harassed,” the source informed us.

The employees accuse Mungai of delegating duties to one of his divas named Susan Ndungu.

She calls the shots on the posting of staff, which is beyond her official roles.

“Kupangwa kazi vile one of his divas namely Susan Ndungu wishes. Susan was made to be in charge of Phlebotomy, but it’s like she always has her way. She decides utafanya wapi saa na saa ngapi just because they are a thing with Allan,” the source laments.

Labor laws dictate that employees in the lab department should do a 48-hour duty in a week, but with the two lovebirds at the helm, most find themselves working for over 90 hours and are often punished over trivial misunderstandings.

On the other hand, they always accord some specific individuals special treatment when drafting the duty rota.

“Just because you refused Allan Mungai’s advances, or you were of a contrary opinion to ‘Her majesty’ Susan’s school of thought, she will irritate you and then tell Allan what to do with you.

Allan and Susan work with close associates, the close associates who insult you, but the moment you try defending yourself they will use the rota to frustrate you” the source told us.

Adding: “There are people doing specific shifts.

For instance, some people never work on Sundays and night shifts and before a rota is written they are asked what is comfortable for them. Sisi unapangwa kazi kuwa thrown anyhow, and they wait for you to complain that you face dismissal.”

The oppressed staff say that despite being fully aware of the depressing situation, Lead HR Marion Atieno has been unavailable whenever they try to reach out and express their grievances.

“This nepotism, tribalism, and favoritism are making us unable to offer the best. With long working hours towards those who don’t get along with Susan or refused advances of Allan you can work all night shifts yet their associates do less than 48hrs weekly.

Their inner circle of associates are always ghosting and never present but their hours still add up because the rota submitted to the bosses is different from the one plastered on the memo board,” the insider reveals.

They have vowed to pick up the matter with higher powers at the private mission hospital, in the hope that justice will be served.

“Where shall we run to? To whom shall we go? We don’t have people like Allan and Susan.

I know the Director Mr Sskar who is not privy to these, will be shocked to find out.

The two are taking Coptic down in terms of service delivery.

My wish is that with all these unethical practices, the labour personnel need to do a prompt visit because we are at the mercy of Allan and Susan.

You can’t attend to patients while in a toxic work environment. Being a patient while attending to patients is a no!” the source concludes.

A FILE photo of KTDA chairman David Ichoho and Group CEO Wilson Muthaura

The Kenya Tea Development Authority (KTDA) is the latest Kenyan corporation facing strong accusations of mistreatment and sexual harassment of staff. 

In the latest twist to the story we first unravelled in November 2022, employees at KTDA have raised serious concerns over the alarming rate of used condoms found inside garbage bins at their headquarters. 

The issue was first brought to the attention of a supervisor by janitors in charge of cleaning the corner office at Farmers Building, along Moi Avenue, Nairobi. 

But in recent weeks, the shocking habit has strikingly worsened. 

Over a dozen workers have so far confirmed witnessing the unsettling scenes, which they blame on KTDA CEO Wilson Muthaura. 

In previous publications, this blog has relentlessly shed light upon glaring cases of mismanagement, corruption and sexual scandals at KTDA. 

Sex scandals, mega scams rock Peter Munya puppet and populist KTDA management

Local media reported that upon his rise to the position, Muthaura embarked on a serious witch-hunt at the headquarters by ruthlessly sending senior staff home and replacing them with his incompetent acquaintances. 

This was against due process and only inspired by greed, nepotism and tribalism. 

At the time, he also faced accusations of sexual escapades together with a section of KTDA’s top administration. 

Insiders who spoke to this blog under the request of anonymity described their boss as a “loose zip” and “serial womanizer” with an appalling level of arrogance. 

“He is extremely proficient in intimidating and threatening his self-perceived enemies,” one source said. 

Most recently, he was found in contempt of court after failing to act on orders issued on reinstating the Managing Director of the Kenya Tea Packers (Ketepa) Albert Otochi and the General Manager of KTDA Power Company Japheth Sayi. 

In a ruling dated December 15, 2022, Judge B O Manani, also directed the CEO to reinstate the full salary of the two officials, which had been cut to half after their suspension in September. 

Sources privy to the matter, however, say that Muthaura has vowed not to follow the orders.

He was recently overheard stating that if he is forced to bring anyone back, they will be frustrated into quitting.

One way he plans to do this is by fixing them into multiple scandals and later giving them up to the authorities.

“Muthaura always brags of enjoying the backing of powerful officials in the Kenya Kwanza administration, including President William Ruto.  

He says that Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi is always on his speed dial whenever he needs favors from the government,” another source added. 

KTDA CEO Muthaura Declares War on The Court and Former Officials Alleging Backing from Ruto, Linturi

In a letter dated September 22, KTDA suspended Mr Otochi and another company official and placed them on half salary, however, the court restrained the agency from effecting the directive. 

The two officials went to court in September after they were served a show-cause notice for allegedly interacting with some directors of KTDA. 

According to Mr Otochi, Mr Muthaura is misrepresenting himself as the group chief executive officer, yet he is the general manager of human resources and administration and hence not his supervisor. 

He says issuing the letter when he is not his supervisor was unlawful. 

He further says the CEO started the disciplinary process against him, while the human resource policy says suspension should only be issued where there are pending investigations. 

Mr Otochi says he was suspended, yet there are no pending investigations. 

Further, he says the group HR policy also allows him to interact with directors, and the purported charges for gross misconduct for interacting with directors are illegal. 

Mr Muthaura was appointed as KTDA’s chief executive following the suspension of the former head, Lerionka Tiampati. 

Muthaura brought on his side acting company secretary Mathews Odero. 

Odero, according to an insider source, is being used to pay suspicious legal fees running to millions of shillings to a number of law firms. 

To frustrate those senior managers said to be sympathetic to former directors, they have employed the services of one Grace Korit alias “GK”, as General Manager, Human Resource and Administration who took over from Muthaura. 

GK, like Kennedy Ochwando, the KTDA Group Head of Procurement and Logistics, takes instructions from Muthaura. 

At KTDA, the “mean-looking” Muthaura is referred to as Bwana Rungu by the staff.

GK is a frequent visitor to Bwana Rugu’s office, where they spend time plotting schemes on who to be axed or kept at work based on their loyalty to him. 

Senior managers in good books with the cartel are Esther Mburu, Manager of Audit and the stout roundhead “Francis Muthamia” the General Manager of Sales and Marketing and Kanja Thuku, the acting Manager of Operations. 

Insiders say millions cannot be accounted for with Muthaura and cronies hiring choppers to criss-cross the country visiting factories and flying their slay queens to Mombasa whenever on tour. 

The cartel controls the finance, human resources, procurement, operations, sales and audit departments.