Murang’a KeRRA Bosses Caught in Explosive Sex-for-Contracts and Funding Scandal.
By Joseph Mwangi.
The Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) Murang’a Region is reeling from a massive corruption scandal, with Regional Director Eng. Joseph Wanjohi standing as the main subject of an investigation into systemic abuse of office and criminal diversion of public funds.
Under Eng. Wanjohi’s alleged watch, the public agency tasked with improving Murang’a’s vital rural infrastructure is accused of becoming a cash cow for political ambition, all while the state’s Principal Secretary for Roads allegedly provides bureaucratic cover.
At the heart of this intricate web of deceit is Hon. Elizabeth Mbugua, the Kinyona Ward MCA, widely known as Liz. Sources within the county have disclosed that Wanjohi’s office has become the operational base for a shocking “sex-for-contracts” scheme, where Liz is a key beneficiary. The serious allegation is that Liz has been consistently awarded road construction contracts through illicit arrangements, securing government tenders not through merit but through improper influence over the regional director’s office.
Despite having two wives, Eng. Wanjohi is said to have maintained an inappropriate and exploitative relationship with Hon. Elizabeth Mbugua, allegedly using his authority and influence to advance her political and financial interests within KeRRA Murang’a. This moral lapse, coupled with the alleged abuse of office, paints a troubling picture of compromised leadership and personal misconduct at the heart of a public institution.
The ill-gotten gains from these allegedly manipulated tenders are not merely for personal enrichment; they are reportedly channeled directly to fuel a major political campaign. Hon. Elizabeth Mbugua, who is eyeing the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) Woman Representative seat, is accused of illegally siphoning funds intended for road development to bankroll her political activities.
This scheme, whistleblowers assert, is designed to generate cash flow for the DCP network, with the party leader, Mr. Gachagua (Riggy G), reportedly emerging as a significant, albeit indirect, beneficiary of the misappropriated public allocations.
Eng. Joseph Wanjohi’s alleged role is to ensure the contracts flow smoothly to allied contractors, many of whom are deeply embedded within the DCP network and, crucially, to ensure no real work is done. These contractors are accused of submitting claims for shoddy, substandard projects, receiving full payments from KeRRA Murang’a, and then completing the cycle of corruption by routing kickbacks through local intermediaries.
Claims directly implicate Hon. Elizabeth Mbugua in facilitating these financial transactions, acting as the critical link between the public works contracts and the political party’s bankroll.
The systemic failure is further compounded by a deeply disturbing culture of impunity allegedly fostered by Eng. Wanjohi. He is said to display audacious defiance, reportedly claiming that his imminent retirement shields him from accountability, making it difficult for oversight bodies to challenge his actions. This reckless attitude, observers warn, has permitted the corruption to thrive.
Adding another layer of political complication is the alleged awareness and inaction of Eng. Joseph Mbugua, the Principal Secretary (PS) for Roads. Despite receiving high-level reports detailing the alarming lack of transparency in KeRRA Murang’a’s operations and the clearly selective allocation of projects, PS Mbugua is accused of intentionally downplaying the situation.
Sources indicate that the PS has been engaged in “sugarcoating” the severity of the perpetrators’ actions, effectively providing a powerful, high-level bureaucratic shield that protects both Eng. Wanjohi and Hon. Elizabeth Mbugua from rigorous investigation and prosecution. This alleged condonement from the Ministry’s apex guarantees that the financial haemorrhage and political capture of KeRRA will persist.
The consequence is a betrayal of public trust felt acutely on the ground. Roads in non-favored rural areas remain utterly impassable, crippling trade, education, and access to essential services, while roads leading to politically favored areas are mysteriously maintained.
Civic groups are issuing urgent demands for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to intervene immediately. Calls are mounting for a full, comprehensive forensic audit, the immediate suspension of Eng. Joseph Wanjohi, and a thorough investigation into the roles of Hon. Elizabeth Mbugua and PS Mbugua to recover every shilling and restore integrity to the region’s infrastructure sector.
