Brigadier (Rtd) Joseph Muracia, the CEO of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, has been dismissed with immediate effect over allegations of gross misconduct, corruption, embezzlement, nepotism, and insubordination. His removal was unanimously approved during a meeting chaired by former Starehe MP Margaret Wanjiru on Tuesday afternoon.

Muracia, who was appointed to the commission by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua under President William Ruto’s administration, is accused of exploiting organizational loopholes 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 uncovered serious financial irregularities under Muracia’s leadership, resulting in the loss of over Kshs. 150 million. The report detailed issues such as overpriced procurements and missing documentation for goods worth Kshs. 20,234,474, including the absence of original tax invoices.


Notable discrepancies included:

- **Shalmac Technologies**: Supplied 12 desktop computers at Kshs. 3,000,000, compared to a market price of Kshs. 1,896,000, an overpricing of Kshs. 1,104,000 (158%).

- **Shelvis Enterprises**: Provided 17 printers for Kshs. 2,975,000, exceeding the market price of Kshs. 1,139,000 by Kshs. 1,836,000 (261%).

- **Simora Group**: Supplied 10 laptops at Kshs. 2,980,000, instead of the market price of Kshs. 1,250,000, an overpricing of Kshs. 1,730,000 (238%).

The audit also revealed ghost workers among the purported 20,000 “Climate Worx” employees, with significant mismanagement of the Kshs. 200 million allocated for allowances. Many funds remain unaccounted for.


Muracia faced additional accusations of nepotism, having hired family members who were prioritized for salaries over other staff. He was also criticized for insubordination and an autocratic leadership style, often sidelining Commissioners, using derogatory language, and prioritizing personal gain over institutional objectives.

The government has pledged to conduct further investigations, recover the misappropriated funds, and enforce measures to prevent future mismanagement. Muracia’s dismissal signals a firm commitment to restoring accountability within the Nairobi Rivers Commission.