How Former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero Staff Amassed Sh1 Billion Wealth in Two Years from Sh90,000 Monthly Salary

The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has revealed how a former employee in former Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero's administration amassed Sh1 billion wealth within a period of two years while earning a monthly salary of Sh90,000.

Appearing before the high court on Tuesday, an EACC investigator described how former Chief Finance Officer Jimmy Mutuku Kiamba's bank accounts transformed from Sh1 million to Sh1.02 billion in two years.

James Kariuki told Justice Hedwig Ong’udi that the former City Hall employee deposited huge sums of money in 11 bank accounts through Nairobi County accountants, security officers, clerks and his driver.

The investigator says the 11 accounts in eight banks registered under Kiamba for instance transacted more than Sh400 million between January and November 2014. 

EACC argues that Kiamba could not have generated the millions from his gross monthly pay of Sh90,833 and an Athi River property worth Sh600,000 that he listed in his wealth declaration form.

The anti-graft body says the official used the proceeds within that period to acquire two maisonettes in Nairobi's South C estate, a plush house in Kileleshwa, four apartments in Kilimani and eight parcels of land in Muthaiga, Mavoko and Machakos. He also owns six high-end vehicles.

EACC says it has reasons to believe that Kiamba bought the property illegally using his position as City Hall Chief Finance Officer (CFO).

The agency lists Joseph Njoroge, who worked at the City Hall’s Treasury, as one of the persons Kiamba used to move the cash. Mr Njoroge, EACC said, made total deposits of Sh66.8 million to accounts belonging to Kiamba.

A second person, Stephen Osiro, a former head of treasury at City Hall channeled Sh4.1 million, while Nancy Waithera, an employee at the Security Department and Barnabas Ougo, also wired millions of shillings into Kiamba’s accounts.

A clerical officer, Ambrose Musau and Kiamba's official driver, Joseph Mwaura Njoroge also deposited millions of shillings into the accounts.

In the five years he worked at the City Hall, Kiamba should have earned Sh5.8 million but the money in his accounts raised suspicion, EACC said.

EACC had earlier obtained orders to freeze Kiamba’s assets to pave way for advanced investigations into his vast estate. The hearing continues.