This archive report was first published on 14 December 2019.
Afya Sacco Officials Embroiled in Multi-Million Shilling Scandal ¶
On April 27, 2019, Afya Sacco's central management committee met to deliberate on the society's board of management, following the annual delegates conference.
However, the meeting was overshadowed by allegations of looting and financial mismanagement, which led to the sacking of General Manager Livingstone Sakwa and other top officials.
Sakwa, who was also the deputy CEO, was accused of looting hundreds of millions of shillings from the society, in addition to taking unsecured loans worth hundreds of millions of shillings that he refused to service.
According to sources, Sakwa's actions were not only a financial blow to the society but also a personal terror for the staff, who were intimidated into doing his bidding or risk facing the sack.
It is estimated that the society lost over 500 million shillings due to Sakwa's actions, which included looting millions of shillings from the society's bank accounts.
Despite being a newcomer to the top management level, Sakwa had amassed a significant amount of wealth, including properties in Nairobi, Rongai, Kakamega, Nakuru, and Eldoret, as well as a collection of luxury vehicles.
The scandal has raised questions about the governance and management of Afya Sacco, and the role of the society's chairman, Vitalis Lukiri, who is also from western Kenya.
