Cyprian Nyakundi has exposed yet another scandal at the Coast Water Works Development Agency (CWWDA), revealing how senior officials orchestrated an irregular payment of Ksh 26 million. This comes just days after the agency issued a statement denying corruption and bribery claims.
The controversy surrounds a payment made to Ravina Agencies Limited, a contractor that had sued the agency for enforcement of a 2014 contract. While the court had ruled that the company should be paid Ksh 22,446,140, CWWDA’s Head of Finance Stephen Maasai and Acting CEO Martin Tsuma went ahead and approved a payment of Ksh 26 million.
This move resulted in a loss of Ksh 4 million, raising questions about financial mismanagement at the agency. Insiders suggest that the rush to make this questionable payment was driven by an attempt to clear dubious transactions before a new CEO assumes office.
Ravina Agencies Limited had been contracted for work in Lamu County in 2014 but faced delays due to security challenges, including the Mpeketoni terrorist attack.
Despite these hurdles, the court found that the company had completed the work and was entitled to its payment. Records indicate that partial payments were made over the years, with Ksh 7,141,383 paid in January 2015, Ksh 6,660,000 in March 2015, and Ksh 12,417,726 in October 2015.
However, the recent payout exceeds the court-ordered amount, raising concerns about corruption at CWWDA.The controversy deepens as it follows fresh corruption allegations against the agency, particularly concerning the recruitment of a new CEO and the awarding of tenders.
Earlier, reports emerged of bribery and extortion schemes involving contractors and job applicants, but the agency’s board chairman Daniel Mwaringa dismissed these claims as unfounded.
His statement, dated 6th March 2025, attempted to downplay concerns that tender awards for projects worth Ksh 6 billion had been manipulated.
The tenders in question include the Mwache Trunk Main South Mainland Transmission Main and the design, build, and operation of the Mwache Water Treatment Plant.
Despite denying corruption allegations, CWWDA’s leadership has not addressed the decision to interdict its Human Resource Manager Simon Charo Menza over misconduct and corruption claims.
Charo, who had applied for the CEO position, has been at odds with Acting CEO Martin Tsuma, leading to speculation that internal power struggles may be influencing financial decisions at the agency.
A letter dated 6th March 2025 from the Board Disciplinary Committee chairman Hamid Mbarak Hamid confirmed that an investigation into Charo’s alleged corruption was ongoing.
The letter also called on anyone with evidence of corruption to come forward, raising questions about the agency’s commitment to accountability.
This latest scandal only adds to the growing mistrust surrounding CWWDA’s operations. While the board attempts to brush off corruption claims, the irregular payment of Ksh 26 million suggests that financial mismanagement remains rampant.
The involvement of top officials in questionable transactions points to a culture of impunity that is unlikely to change unless thorough investigations are conducted. The agency’s failure to explain why payments exceeded the court ruling further fuels suspicions that public funds are being siphoned through inflated payouts.
With a new CEO expected to take over soon, it remains to be seen whether the leadership transition will bring transparency or whether corrupt networks will continue to thrive under a different face.
