Jambo Pay CEO Danson Muchemi has found himself at the center of a growing corruption scandal tied to billions looted during Evans Kidero’s time as Nairobi governor.
Evidence presented in court has exposed Muchemi as a key player in shady dealings that saw public funds disappear under the cover of revenue collection systems.
His role has raised serious questions about how tech firms are used to hide theft in government, and how some businessmen like him have managed to stay untouched while contributing to the mess in Nairobi.
Jambo Pay, which operated under Web Tribe Ltd, was given the job to collect revenue for Nairobi County during Kidero’s regime. That contract came with a fat 4.5% commission, way above what other companies had offered. It was a suspicious deal from the start.
And now, years later, a court case has uncovered just how deep the rot went. In a recorded meeting played in court, Muchemi is heard discussing how he was giving out daily bribes of Sh4 to Sh5 million to maintain control of the county’s revenue system.
These payments were made to those in office to keep Jambo Pay in business, clearly showing how public money was being redirected into private pockets.
What’s worse is that Muchemi didn’t stop with Kidero. He tried the same tactics with Mike Sonko when he took over as governor. In the same recording, Muchemi is heard trying to cut a similar deal with Sonko, offering him daily bribes to protect Jambo Pay’s contract.
Sonko refused and exposed the attempted bribery. This wasn’t a misunderstanding or a vague conversation it was a straight-up offer of cash to influence public office.
That is bribery, and Muchemi’s voice was on the tape making the offer. This kind of behavior from the CEO of a company that had full access to Nairobi’s revenue systems is not only unethical, it’s criminal.
Muchemi used his position to manipulate county operations, protect corrupt networks, and make huge profits while services in Nairobi collapsed.
He made billions from a flawed and manipulated system, and he did it by getting close to power and buying influence.
Despite all this, Muchemi has managed to walk free while those like Sonko face charges for far smaller amounts. This kind of selective justice shows just how powerful and protected some businessmen have become.
They bribe their way into lucrative deals, abuse public systems, and when caught, they escape with no punishment. The silence from investigative agencies on Muchemi’s role is loud, and it exposes just how deep the corruption runs.
Muchemi’s past also tells a story. He was involved in a Sh1 billion NHIF scandal where he somehow turned from a suspect into a witness. That case went cold, just like many others involving powerful people.
Now here he is again, connected to another scandal involving billions, bribery, and misuse of public systems. And once again, he’s avoiding any serious legal consequences.
The Jambo Pay scandal is not just about a company that collected money. It’s about how public funds were looted through digital platforms run by people who knew how to play the system.
Muchemi was not a bystander he was right in the middle of it, making deals, offering bribes, and benefiting from a county that was being drained dry.
He should be held fully accountable, not allowed to hide behind business suits and boardroom titles. Nairobi residents deserve better, and the people who stole from them, including those in the private sector like Muchemi, must be dragged into the spotlight and made to answer.
