Nairobi Rivers Commission CEO Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia fired

The decision to remove him was unanimously approved at a Tuesday afternoon 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, has faced allegations of exploiting organisational gaps to misappropriate resources.

The Nairobi Rivers Commission, tasked with cleaning and rehabilitating Nairobi’s rivers, has been operational for less than two years. 

An audit of the 2023/2024 financial year revealed severe financial mismanagement under Muracia’s leadership, resulting in the loss of over Kshs. 150 million. 

The audit report outlined multiple irregularities, including overpriced procurements and missing documentation for purchased goods. Goods worth Kshs. 20,234,474 were delivered without proper 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, reflecting an overpricing of Kshs. 1,104,000, or 158%. 

Similarly, Shelvis Enterprises provided 17 printers for Kshs. 2,975,000, significantly higher than the market price of Kshs. 1,139,000, resulting in an overpricing of Kshs. 1,836,000, or 261%. 

Additionally, Simora Group supplied 10 laptops at Kshs. 2,980,000, despite a market price of Kshs. 1,250,000, leading to an overpricing of Kshs. 1,730,000, 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. 

A Kshs. 200 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. His leadership style was described as autocratic, with a focus on personal gain over institutional goals.

The dismissal marks a significant step in addressing corruption and restoring accountability within the Nairobi Rivers Commission. 

The government has pledged to investigate the matter further and recover the lost funds, ensuring such mismanagement is not repeated.