Nairobi Rivers Commission CEO sacked after board vote

Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia, the CEO of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, has been dismissed from his position following allegations of gross misconduct, corruption, and nepotism.

The decision to remove him as quoted by the Standard was made during a meeting of the commission's board of commissioners, chaired by Margaret Wanjiru, on Tuesday.

"He was suspended, and during a commissioners' meeting, a vote was conducted through a secret ballot, leading to his dismissal," Wanjiru said.

Muracia, who had been appointed to the commission by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, had been under scrutiny for several months.

The Nairobi Rivers Commission, established in December 2022 by President William Ruto, was tasked with overseeing the cleaning and rehabilitation of Nairobi's rivers.

The commission's mandate includes ensuring compliance with environmental laws and reclaiming polluted rivers, vital for the city's health and sustainability.

However, an audit of the Financial year 2023-2024 painted a disturbing picture of financial mismanagement under Muracia's leadership.

Irregular financial activities

The audit revealed that over Sh150 million was lost due to irregular financial activities. Among the key findings were inflated procurement prices for office equipment, such as desktop computers, printers, and laptops, which were supplied at prices much higher than the market value.

For instance, 12 desktop computers were purchased for Sh3,000,000, while their actual market price was Sh1,896,000, marking an overpricing of Sh1,104,000.

Other irregularities included missing documentation for goods worth over Sh20 million and the questionable hiring of 20,000 "Climate Worx" workers, many of whom were identified as ghost employees.

The report also highlighted the mismanagement of a Sh200 million allocation for allowances, with substantial amounts unaccounted for.

The commission's role in cleaning up Nairobi's rivers is a key component of President Ruto's environmental agenda, aimed at tackling pollution and improving the city's sewerage systems. Despite the initial enthusiasm surrounding the launch of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, the latest developments cast a shadow over its operations and raised concerns about accountability.

While the commission was intended to play a significant role in reclaiming Nairobi's rivers, the lack of transparency and financial irregularities under Muracia's leadership has raised serious questions about its future.

Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, in the past, confirmed that the Nairobi County government was collaborating with the national government to fund the river clean-up efforts, but little has been said about City Hall's specific role in the commission.