Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia, CEO of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, has been removed from office with immediate effect due to allegations of gross misconduct, including corruption, embezzlement, nepotism, and insubordination. His dismissal was unanimously approved at a meeting chaired by former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru on Tuesday afternoon.
Muracia, who was appointed by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to a commission established by President William Ruto, faced accusations of exploiting organizational weaknesses for personal gain. An audit of the 2023/2024 financial year uncovered severe financial mismanagement under his leadership, resulting in a loss of over Kshs. 150 million.
The audit highlighted multiple irregularities, such as overpriced procurements and missing documentation for purchased items. Goods worth Kshs. 20,234,474 were delivered without proper supporting documents, including original tax invoices.
Among the questionable procurements, Shalmac Technologies supplied 12 desktop computers for Kshs. 3,000,000, significantly higher than the market value of Kshs. 1,896,000, leading to an overpricing of Kshs. 1,104,000, or 158%. Similarly, Shelvis Enterprises provided 17 printers at Kshs. 2,975,000, far above the market price of Kshs. 1,139,000, resulting in an overpricing of Kshs. 1,836,000, or 261%. Simora Group also supplied 10 laptops for Kshs. 2,980,000, despite a market value of Kshs. 1,250,000, leading to an overpricing of Kshs. 1,730,000, or 238%.
Muracia was also accused of inflating the number of “Climate Worx” workers, with many identified as ghost employees, and mismanaging a Kshs. 200 million allocation for allowances, with significant amounts unaccounted for.
Further allegations included nepotism, as Muracia reportedly hired family members, prioritizing their salaries over other staff. He was also accused of insubordination and high-handedness, often using derogatory language towards Commissioners and sidelining them in key decisions. His leadership style was described as autocratic, prioritizing personal gain over the commission’s objectives.
The government has committed to investigating the issue thoroughly, aiming to recover the misappropriated funds and prevent future mismanagement, marking a significant move towards accountability within the Nairobi Rivers Commission.