The Director-General and CEO of the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), Eng. Silas Kinoti, is at the center of a significant legal battle. A petition filed today in the High Court of Kenya at Nairobi by private citizens Salim Mvuria and Zipporah Juma accuses Kinoti of actively financing and orchestrating politically motivated protests that have caused widespread violence and disruption across the nation this month. The petition also details extensive allegations of a multi-million-shilling corruption syndicate operating within KURA under his leadership.
The petitioners claim that the recent wave of violent protests, which has seen property destruction, attacks on public servants, and economic sabotage, is not spontaneous but rather a series of “organized campaigns of criminality.” They allege that Kinoti, a public officer, has used his position and public funds to support these disruptive activities. Evidence cited includes intelligence reports and investigative insights suggesting financial and logistical links between KURA and the “goons” involved in the unrest, with funds allegedly routed through contractors and shell firms connected to Kinoti’s office. The petitioners express serious concern that Kinoti has leveraged his strategic office to conceal illicit financial flows and misappropriate state funds to advance a political agenda characterized by “vengeance, destabilization, and violence.”
Beyond the protest funding, the petition uncovers what it describes as an “elaborate and institutionalized multi-million-shilling corruption syndicate” within KURA. Kinoti is accused of establishing a “cash-for-favour” system where inflated road tenders are awarded to cronies and ghost companies, with kickbacks allegedly flowing directly to him and his associates. It is further claimed that regional directors have been coerced into remitting illicit funds to Kinoti’s office in exchange for protection and favorable postings, thus entrenching a deeply compromised administrative structure. The petition also highlights the alleged unlawful retention of employees beyond statutory retirement age, transforming KURA into a “personal patronage network” where these individuals continue to draw salaries and approve suspicious financial transactions. Whistleblowers are reportedly threatened and transferred to silence dissent.
The petitioners assert that Kinoti’s alleged actions constitute numerous violations of the Kenyan Constitution, including breaches of national values such as good governance, integrity, transparency, and accountability. Specific constitutional articles cited include those relating to the exercise of state authority, upholding the Constitution, protection of the right to life, abuse of freedom of expression and assembly, economic harm, fair administrative action, public trust, misuse of public finances, and public service principles. Additionally, the petition references contraventions of the Public Officer Ethics Act, the Public Finance Management Act, the National Cohesion and Integration Act, the Public Order Act, and the Penal Code.
Salim Mvuria and Zipporah Juma are seeking a series of stringent judicial orders. They demand a declaration that Kinoti has violated the Constitution and committed gross misconduct, rendering him unfit to hold any public office. They also seek a permanent injunction to prevent him from serving in any public office. The petition calls for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate Kinoti’s finances and the use of KURA-linked funds, and for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to launch criminal investigations into his alleged role in funding violent protests. Furthermore, they request the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC) to investigate his role in ethnic incitement. The petitioners also seek a declaration that Kinoti is personally liable for economic loss, loss of lives, and property destruction, with a demand for compensatory damages to victims. Other prayers include a special audit of KURA’s financial operations by the Auditor-General and disciplinary action against Kinoti by the Public Service Commission and the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport for the alleged retention of retired employees. Finally, they seek an order for the Attorney General to initiate civil recovery proceedings to secure restitution from Kinoti and any third-party collaborators.
This high-profile legal challenge is poised to have significant ramifications for Kenya’s public service and its ongoing efforts to combat corruption and maintain public order. The outcome of this case will be closely watched by citizens and various oversight bodies.
