Gachagua Appointee Fired from Nairobi Rivers Commission Over Ghost Workers and Embezzlement
Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia, the CEO of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, has been dismissed from his position with immediate effect following a Tuesday meeting chaired by former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru.
Muracia, who was appointed by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to the commission established by President William Ruto, was removed after being accused of gross misconduct, corruption, embezzlement of funds, nepotism, and insubordination. Investigations suggest that Muracia exploited organizational gaps to misappropriate resources and enrich himself.
“He was suspended, and during a commissioners’ meeting, a vote was conducted through a secret ballot, leading to his dismissal,” Wanjiru confirmed.
The Nairobi Rivers Commission, tasked with cleaning and rehabilitating the city’s rivers, has been operational for less than two years. During his leadership, an audit of the 2023/2024 financial year revealed severe financial mismanagement, leading to a loss of over Kshs. 150 million.
Audit Uncovers Financial Mismanagement
The audit uncovered multiple irregularities, including overpriced procurements and missing documentation for purchased goods. Goods worth Kshs. 20,234,474 were delivered without essential supporting documents, such as original tax invoices.
Among the irregular procurements, Shalmac Technologies supplied 12 desktop computers for Kshs. 3,000,000, whereas the market price was Kshs. 1,896,000, resulting in an overpricing of Kshs. 1,104,000, or 158%.
Similarly, Shelvis Enterprises provided 17 printers for Kshs. 2,975,000, far exceeding the market price of Kshs. 1,139,000, leading to an overpricing of Kshs. 1,836,000, or 261%.
In another instance, Simora Group supplied 10 laptops for Kshs. 2,980,000, despite the market price being Kshs. 1,250,000, causing an overpricing of Kshs. 1,730,000, or 238%.
The report also revealed that Muracia falsely claimed to have employed 20,000 “Climate Worx” workers, many of whom were ghost employees. Additionally, a Kshs. 200 million allocation for allowances was mismanaged, with substantial funds unaccounted for.
Muracia faced accusations of nepotism, hiring family members and prioritizing their salaries over those of other employees. He also allegedly displayed insubordination, using derogatory language and excluding Commissioners from key decisions. His autocratic leadership style was described as prioritizing personal gain over the commission’s institutional goals.
The government has vowed to investigate the matter thoroughly, recover the lost funds, and prevent similar mismanagement in the future.
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