Diplomatic Intervention Sought in Dubai

Prominent Kenyan businessman and former Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF) chairman, Gor Semelang'o, has been incarcerated in Dubai following a commercial dispute, his legal representative confirmed on Friday, October 24, 2025. The case underscores the critical legal differences between Kenya and the United Arab Emirates, where civil business disagreements can be treated as criminal offenses.

In a statement, Nairobi-based lawyer Donald Kipkorir revealed that Mr. Semelang'o's detention stems from a shareholder dispute with a Kenyan woman over a nightclub business registered in Dubai. "My BFF Gor Semelang'o has been incarcerated in Dubai over a Club Business shareholder dispute with a Kenyan lady. In Dubai, commercial disputes, which are ordinarily civil, are criminal," Mr. Kipkorir stated on Friday morning, East Africa Time.

Mr. Kipkorir confirmed he has formally engaged Kenya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requesting diplomatic intervention. "I have asked our good Foreign Affairs PS, Dr. Korir Sing'oei, to use our diplomatic relations with the UAE to amicably resolve the issue," he said, arguing it is improper for a contractual dispute between two Kenyans to be settled within a foreign legal system. As of late Friday, the Ministry had not issued a public statement on the matter.

Conflicting Reports Emerge

While Mr. Kipkorir and other associates maintain the issue is a purely commercial disagreement, several online reports have suggested Mr. Semelang'o is being investigated for money laundering. These claims have been strongly denied by his inner circle. Close friend Nelson Amenya clarified that Semelang'o was being held in remand, not a prison, pending resolution of the shareholder issue. "My friend Gor Semelang'o is not in prison and certainly not for money laundering. He had a shareholder dispute with a Kenyan lady named Mary, who pressed charges in Dubai since the business is registered there," Mr. Amenya was quoted as saying.

Reports indicate Mr. Semelang'o has been detained for several weeks. Some sources claim he was arrested on Thursday, October 9, 2025, after travelling to Dubai from Nairobi on September 18. His social media, usually active with posts detailing his high-profile lifestyle, has been silent since October 2, 2025, an observation that fueled speculation about his whereabouts.

A History of Business and Controversy

Gor Semelang'o is a well-known figure in Kenya's business and political circles. Appointed by former President Mwai Kibaki, he served as the chairman of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund until 2014. His tenure was credited with supporting numerous youth-led businesses across the country.

He has significant interests in the petroleum sector as the founder of Petrokenya Oil Company Ltd., as well as ventures in media and real estate. In 2020, he reportedly sold a 45% stake in Petrokenya to a UAE-based firm for a sum estimated at KSh 4.5 billion. His flamboyant lifestyle has often been a subject of public fascination and media coverage.

This is not his first encounter with legal troubles. In 2019, Mr. Semelang'o was committed to civil jail in Kenya for defaulting on a KSh 3.6 million debt owed to a law firm that had represented him. The current situation in Dubai, however, represents a more serious challenge, placing his case at the intersection of international business, legal systems, and diplomacy. The outcome will be closely watched by the Kenyan business community, particularly those with investments and operations in the Gulf states.