Board Fires Nairobi Rivers Commission CEO Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia, Reveals 5 Reasons

He was immediately dismissed from his position after being accused of gross misconduct, corruption, embezzlement of funds, nepotism, and insubordination.

Viral Tea Ke Writer Viral Tea Ke Writer
Jan 15, 2025 - 12:05 Updated: Jan 15, 2025 - 12:08
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Board Fires Nairobi Rivers Commission CEO Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia, Reveals 5 Reasons
President William Ruto during the KDF pass-out parade in Uasin Gishu County on May 15, 2024. /PCS

Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia, the chief executive officer of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, was ousted from office on Tuesday, January 14. Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua appointed Muracia to the commission established by President William Ruto.

He was immediately dismissed from his position after being accused of gross misconduct, corruption, embezzlement of funds, nepotism, and insubordination.

This followed a high-stakes meeting chaired by former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru, where a decision was unanimously reached to remove him. The retired KDF soldier had been tasked with overseeing the restoration of the Nairobi River.

Muracira had faced allegations of exploiting organizational gaps to misappropriate resources. The Commission, tasked with cleaning and rehabilitating Nairobi’s rivers, has been operational for less than two years. 

Brigadier Joseph Muracia during a meeting with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Thursday May 25, 2023. /DPPS

Under his leadership, an audit of the 2023/2024 financial year revealed severe financial mismanagement resulting in the loss of over Ksh150 million.

The audit report also exposed multiple irregularities, including overpriced procurements and missing documentation for purchased goods. Goods worth Ksh20,234,474 were delivered without proper supporting documents, such as original tax invoices.

Among the irregular procurements, Shalmac Technologies supplied 12 desktop computers for Ksh3,000,000, whereas the market price was Ksh1,896,000, reflecting an overpricing of Ksh1,104,000, or 158%. 

Shelvis Enterprises provided 17 printers for Ksh2,975,000, significantly higher than the market price of Ksh1,139,000, resulting in an overpricing of Ksh1,836,000, or 261%. 

Moreover, Simora Group supplied 10 laptops at Kshs2,980,000, against a market price of Ksh1,250,000, leading to an overpricing of Ksh1,730,000, or 238%.

The report also revealed that the CEO claimed to have employed 20,000 "Climate Worx" workers, but many were identified as ghost employees. Further, the Ksh200 million allocation for allowances has been significantly mismanaged, with substantial funds unaccounted for.

Muracia was further accused of nepotism, as he hired family members to work for the commission and prioritized their salaries over those of other employees. 

Additionally, he displayed insubordination and high-handedness in dealing with Commissioners, often using derogatory language and sidelining them in key decisions. Reports also claimed that his leadership style was described as autocratic, with a focus on personal gain over institutional goals. Viral Tea could not independently verify these claims.

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