NAIROBI, Kenya – The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, arrested five senior state and private officials in a coordinated crackdown on a suspected KSh 3.8 billion corruption ring within the State Department for Sports. The pre-dawn raids, conducted across Nairobi, Kiambu, Nyeri, Machakos, and Nanyuki counties, targeted high-ranking civil servants and company directors allegedly at the centre of a systematic scheme to embezzle public funds through fraudulent procurement.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the EACC confirmed the operation was executed under court-issued warrants as part of an ongoing investigation into the unlawful acquisition of precisely KSh 3,800,563,277. The anti-graft agency alleges the funds were stolen between the 2020/2021 and 2025/2026 financial years through manipulated tenders and collusion.

Those taken into custody and escorted to the EACC’s Integrity Centre headquarters for questioning include Caroline Muthoni Kariuki, the Senior Assistant Commissioner of Sports, and David Muasya Musau, an accountant at the State Department for Sports. Also arrested was Otis Mutwiri Nturibi, the Deputy Accountant General for ASALs & Regional Development. The operation also netted two directors of private companies: Dickson Kibunyi Mahia of Turkenya Tours & Safaris Ltd and Afromerch Travel Kenya Ltd, and Maureen Wangui Wambugu, the director of Smart Flows Travel Ltd.

A Web of Irregular Procurement

EACC investigators allege the officials abused their positions of authority to orchestrate the multi-billion shilling fraud. Preliminary findings suggest the scheme involved awarding irregular tenders to the travel and logistics companies connected to the suspects. These companies—Turkenya Tours & Safaris, Afromerch Travel Kenya, and Smart Flows Travel—were allegedly used as conduits to siphon funds through inflated invoices and payments for services that were never rendered.

During the multi-county raids, EACC detectives seized significant evidence, including KSh 3.58 million in cash, motor vehicles, and land documents suspected to have been acquired with the proceeds of corruption. One report noted a total cash recovery of over KSh 5.4 million from the various locations. The commission stated that these materials will form a crucial part of the evidence as the investigation proceeds. “Upon completion of the investigations, appropriate action will follow — including prosecution of those responsible and recovery of any proceeds of corruption,” the EACC statement read.

A Ministry Plagued by Scandal

This KSh 3.8 billion scandal is the latest in a long series of corruption cases that have chronically undermined Kenya's sports sector, diverting critical resources meant for athlete development and facility upgrades. The State Department for Sports and its affiliate bodies have frequently been in the headlines for financial mismanagement, robbing Kenyan athletes of their dreams and tarnishing the nation's proud sporting legacy.

One of the most notorious cases was the 2016 Rio Olympics scandal, where funds intended for athletes were misappropriated by officials. Former Sports Minister Hassan Wario was later convicted in September 2021 for his role in the misuse of over $800,000, avoiding a six-year jail term by paying a fine. The scandal involved accusations of officials stealing from the $5.7 million Olympic budget and funds from sponsors like Nike.

Further scrutiny came in 2017, when an Auditor-General's report revealed that nearly half of the KSh 1.7 billion allocated for the IAAF World Youth Championships was unaccounted for. In 2018, the Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly launched a probe into the matter. More recently, in April 2025, the National Assembly Committee on Sports and Culture criticized the Ministry for an “unsatisfactory” response to queries about the mismanagement of the Sports, Arts, and Social Development Fund (SASDF), demanding a forensic audit.

Systemic Failures and Calls for Accountability

The persistent nature of these scandals points to systemic weaknesses in financial controls and a culture of impunity. Investigations by parliamentary committees have repeatedly flagged issues at sports bodies. Just this week, the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture grilled the leadership of Sports Kenya over billions of shillings in mismanaged funds for stadium projects, uncovering inflated contracts and missing financial records. This pattern of alleged corruption has a direct and devastating impact on the ground, leading to underfunded national teams, substandard sports facilities, and diminished opportunities for Kenya's youth.

The EACC has faced public pressure to secure convictions and recover stolen assets. While the commission has reported an overall conviction rate of 54.2% between 2003 and 2025, challenges in the judicial process often lead to lengthy delays or acquittals in high-profile cases. The outcome of this latest investigation will be a critical test of the state's commitment to dismantling the corruption networks that have captured the sports sector. As the suspects undergo interrogation, the Kenyan public awaits answers and, more importantly, decisive action to ensure that funds meant to nurture talent and build a national legacy are not lost to private greed.