Nairobi — MPs Demand Investigation into KBC Pension Reckoning as Scheme Feels Collapse Impact

Parliament’s Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation, led by John Kiarie, has mandated the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Judiciary to investigate the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme following revelations of missing billions in employee-remitted pension funds and questionable legal billing.

Key Allegations Under Scrutiny

1. Ksh 3.27 billion in Unremitted Staff Contributions

   • KBC failed to remit approximately Ksh 750 million as of early 2018. The figure has since ballooned to Ksh 3.27 billion due to accruing interest.

   • The scheme’s chair, Martin Nyongesa, warned the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) has moved to initiate liquidation, with a court mention scheduled for September 25, 2025.

2. Disputed Ksh 1.4 billion Legal Fee

   • Advocate Morara Omoke, who allegedly recovered Ksh 18 billion for the scheme, is demanding a Ksh 1.4 billion fee—far above previously agreed Ksh 480,000.

   • MPs challenged the authenticity and terms of the engagement, noting the KBC Trustee Board never authorised the contract and that “KBC itself isn’t even worth Ksh 18 billion.”

Their intervention came after a petition from distressed retirees, some of whom have endured long delays without pension payouts and even death in hospital queues due to lack of funds.

 Political Response & Oversight Reaction

• MPs branded the legal fee demand as “grossly inflated” and tantamount to exploitation of retirees.

• Committee members have urged lodging a formal complaint with the Advocates Complaints Commission and called on KBC to liquidate assets, including land parcels, to settle pension deficits.

Broader Implications

Activists and MPs, including Joyce Bensouda (Homa Bay) and Mark Nyamita (Uriri), emphasised that justice for pensioners is a measure of national values and institutional accountability.

What to Monitor Next

• Formal investigations by EACC and courts into governance failures.

• Progress on asset liquidation, as trustees explore mortgaging land to satisfy liabilities.

• The effectiveness of longitudinal oversight from RBA and parliamentary committees going forward.

 Final Take

Parliament’s directive marks a pivotal escalation in confronting systemic pension mismanagement. As the probe unfolds, Kenya will be watching how state organs respond to misplaced legacies and retirees’ rights—an urgent test of the nation’s commitment to treating its public service beneficiaries with dignity and fairness.