4 major corruption scandals that rocked Kenya in 2019 (Full List)

This is mainly because the figures quoted to media are often inaccurate while authorities often quote estimates of the lost amount.

Pulselive.co.ke has highlighted the four major corruption scandals of 2019 and added up the totals according to media reports.

We found that Kenya could have lost at least Sh77 billion to corruption in 2019. Here is a breakdown of the various scandals.

Kimwarer and Arror Dams Scandal

The famed dams scandal may have cost Kenyan taxpayers up to Sh21 billion.

According to a report by a taskforce that was appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to investigate the two projects, officials ignored feasibility studies to go ahead and budget for Kimwarer Dam knowing it was impossible.

Officials also fleeced the Kenyan taxpayers by purchasing land around the projects in order to get compensation payouts.

Former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich and former PS Kamau Thugge were suspended and are in court over corruption charges.

Kenya Power tokens scandal

Five Kenya Power IT staff members are said to have colluded to steal Sh1 billion from the company’s billing system.

The IT staff generated extra tokens which were then sold cheaply to third party merchants at the expense of the company.

They also offered the services of clearing electricity bills in the system at a fee.

NHIF scandal

Fraud at the National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) could be the scandal that cost taxpayers the highest amount of money.

In 2019, detectives discovered that the insurer could have easily claimed fraudulent payments dating back to 2014.

NHIF management and hospitals would generate false medical bills for civil servants, police, NYS and prison staff who had never sought treatment. The figure quoted was Sh50 billion.

In February 2019, investigators only found traces of Sh10 billion of the total amount quoted.

Maize scandal

While the government has maintained that no money was lost in the maize scandal, the Director of Public Prosecutions Noordin Haji announced that Sh5 billion was stolen from the public coffers.

“An expenditure of Sh5.6 billion which was beyond the approved budget was incurred while purchasing white maize under the strategic food reserve fund," Mr Haji revealed.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Richard Lesiyampe and former National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) boss Newton Terer were both charged with graft.