Philip Mainga, the Managing Director of Kenya Railways Corporation (KRC), finds himself at the center of an unfolding scandal involving allegations of massive corruption, land grabbing, and procurement malpractices.
Activists have taken to the High Court, demanding that anti-corruption agencies such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) conduct thorough investigations into Mainga’s financial dealings during his tenure at the helm of the state corporation.
The activists, led by Timothy Rasugu and Julius Chebitok, have filed a petition seeking court orders that compel EACC and DCI to probe multiple questionable financial transactions and procurement irregularities, some of which date back to the early years of Mainga’s leadership.
Their petition paints a disturbing picture of alleged systematic corruption, with accusations ranging from backdated contracts to improper land deals.
At the heart of the petition is a Sh150 million tender for Murram supply in the Nairobi-Nanyuki railway rehabilitation project, which allegedly violated public procurement regulations by bypassing the Sh30 million threshold set for restricted bidding.
Further investigations have revealed that contracts worth Sh88.2 million to First Choice General Suppliers Limited and Sh34.5 million to Mosrach Limited were allegedly backdated, with work commencing before formal agreements were signed.
Adding to the controversy, recent reports suggest that Mainga may have had a personal stake in these dealings. Allegedly, a Sh88.2 million deal was awarded to a business controlled by his long-term fiancée, raising concerns of nepotism and corruption in the procurement process.
Moreover, activists are accusing Mainga of being involved in land grabbing, including converting public land in Kileleshwa for private development, specifically building a private hotel.
They further allege that Mainga illegally acquired public land in Machakos, which he used to develop the Chocolate City hotel and supermarket.
With over 544 parcels of public land allegedly allocated to private individuals during his leadership, pressure is mounting on EACC to arrest Mainga and hold him accountable for his alleged actions.
