Jamhuri High School principal Duncan Juma has been accused of selling school property, diverting food and building materials, controlling procurement through friends and family members, collecting money from parents through unofficial channels and using school resources to fund private interests.
The claims are contained in complaints sent to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority, the Ethics and Anti Corruption Commission, the Teachers Service Commission, the Ministry of Education, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Commission on Administrative Justice.
The complainants accuse Juma of taking control of school procurement and asset disposal after joining Jamhuri High School in February 2023 from Uhuru Secondary School, then using suppliers linked to people close to him to sell goods and services to the institution.
One of the main complaints concerns metal beds, student boxes, roofing bars and other materials left behind after a fire destroyed a school hall in 2021, when the building was being used as a dormitory housing about 300 students.
The fire damaged more than 200 double decker beds, student boxes, roof bars and a heavy metal octagon that had supported a clock mounted on the old school hall, according to the complaint sent to procurement authorities.
The damaged items were kept behind the hall until early 2025, when Juma reportedly appointed an ad hoc committee to handle their disposal, but the appointed members received letters without attending any meeting on the planned sale.
The complaint says a large lorry later entered the school and carried away the beds, boxes, roofing bars, metal clock structure and other scrap materials without the committee taking part in the disposal process.
The lorry is said to belong to a businessman described as Juma’s friend and proxy, who is accused of supplying food and other materials to the school through businesses connected to the principal.
The complainants accuse Juma of receiving the money from the scrap metal sale through his own account instead of depositing the proceeds into a school account, though no payment records were attached to the complaint.
The same lorry is accused of removing an old gas tank that had been used in the student kitchen before President William Ruto launched a new LPG cooking project at Jamhuri High School.
The complainants say the old tank was transported from the school and sold after the launch, with money from the sale accused of ending up under the control of the principal.
Former students reportedly raised concerns about the disappearance of the gas tank, which had served the school for many years before the new government funded cooking system was installed.
The complaint says iron sheets removed from three classrooms burned by students during the second term of 2025 were later placed inside the principal’s school residence compound while waiting to be transported.
Heavy metal rails removed from the entrance of the dining hall are similarly accused of being taken from the school and transported to Juma’s home in Kisumu County.
The complainants have asked procurement authorities to check whether the school board approved the disposal of the beds, boxes, roofing materials, gas tank, iron sheets and dining hall rails before they left the school.
They have similarly asked investigators to check whether the property was valued, advertised, sold through an open process and recorded in the school’s asset register after the sale.
Another complaint accuses Juma of controlling school contracts through relatives, friends, girlfriends and proxy companies, with the school said to have no active tender committee handling purchases and service contracts.
Rice supplied to the school is accused of coming through a business linked to Juma’s wife, Leah Ogalo, using a proxy company identified in the complaint as Sunlight Stores Suppliers.
The complaint says a 25 kilogram sack of rice bought for less than Sh2,000 is sold to the school for about Sh4,500, with students later complaining about poor quality food and small portions.
Detergents, cups, plates and printer cartridges are accused of being supplied by a woman close to the principal, with repair and painting work reportedly handled by his firstborn son.
The complainants accuse Juma’s wife of personally collecting supplier payment cheques from the school bursar’s office, though the complaint does not include copies of the cheques or company ownership records.
The complaints ask procurement officers to inspect tender records, supplier files, payment vouchers, invoices, delivery notes and company registration documents covering purchases made by the school from February 2023.
The complainants accuse Juma of using businesses controlled by people close to him to supply the school, then arranging quick payment for those suppliers ahead of other service providers.
The complaint similarly says one carpenter was recorded as receiving Sh3 million in cash for repairing desks, though the carpenter is accused of never receiving the money shown in the school records.
The same carpenter is said to have remained unpaid for smaller repair work, raising questions among the complainants about who collected the Sh3 million entered against his name.
Grade 10 parents are similarly reported to have been told to deposit Sh25,000 into an account linked to Jerex Uniforms or Jerex Outfitters before their children could secure places at Jamhuri High School.
The Sh25,000 payment reportedly covered two shirts, two trousers, one sweater, one tie and one fleece jacket supplied through the uniform dealer selected by the school administration.
The complainants accuse Juma of receiving a share of the uniform money collected from Grade 10 parents, with the payments said to have generated millions of shillings during admissions.
The complaint claims Juma later told friends that the Grade 10 payments had raised enough money to buy a new vehicle, with a Toyota Prado said to have arrived at the school in May.
The vehicle is identified in the complaint as registration number KDX 520T, with two other vehicles named as a white Toyota Crown registration KCE 343B and a white Toyota Alphard registration KCH 045L.
The complainants accuse Juma of joining Jamhuri High School without a vehicle before acquiring three vehicles, land and a large house in Kisumu County during his first three years at the institution.
The house is said to be located in Nyando Sub County, with Juma accused of telling people that the property is worth about Sh21 million.
School building materials are accused of being transported to the construction site, including tiles, roofing bars, iron sheets, ballast and other materials linked to a dormitory project at Jamhuri High School.
The complaint says a contractor working on the dormitory requested materials in quantities higher than those required, after which the remaining items were transported to the principal’s home.
One support staff member is reported to have spent more than five hours loading boxes of tiles onto a lorry, with the material accused of being used during construction of Juma’s house.
Chain links bought after students started sneaking out of school are similarly accused of being removed from Jamhuri High School and transported to the same property in Kisumu County.
The complaint says about 35 rolls of chain link were carried in different trips using the school bus when the vehicle travelled outside Nairobi for funerals and other hired trips.
The complainants have asked authorities to compare materials used at the school with materials found at Juma’s home, then check invoices, delivery records, contractor payments and school project files.
School supplies are similarly accused of being removed from the store during Juma’s trips to Kisumu and nearby areas, with large quantities of food said to be loaded into vehicles before departure.
The complaint lists six sacks of 25 kilogram rice, two sacks of 50 kilogram sugar, 20 litres of cooking oil, tissue paper, buns and bread among goods accused of being taken from the school.
The food is accused of being repacked into smaller portions during the journey, then donated during village functions connected to Juma’s reported interest in seeking a political seat.
Plastic chairs bought by students as punishment for disciplinary offences are similarly accused of being taken from the school and transported to the principal’s home area.
The complaint says students can be ordered to buy ten plastic chairs after committing an offence, with some of the chairs later accused of leaving the school through the same transport route.
Jamhuri High School facilities are similarly accused of being hired out during weekends and holidays, with visitors charged Sh500 per person for accommodation inside the institution.
The money collected from visitors is accused of being handed directly to Juma, with the guests reportedly fed using food purchased for students during the school term.
The complaint says a large visiting group can generate about Sh500,000 from accommodation, though no booking records or bank statements were attached to show where the money was deposited.
Teachers and parents have similarly accused the school administration of collecting remedial lesson payments through cash channels that do not pass through the official school banking system.
The remedial charge is said to have started at Sh1,000 per term before increasing to Sh2,000 and later Sh3,000 for every student taking part in the programme.
Class teachers are accused of collecting the money from parents, withdrawing mobile payments and handing cash to deputy principal Mrs Ndirangu, who reportedly records the amounts in a large notebook.
The complaint says teachers conducting remedial lessons receive about Sh700 per hour for a reduced number of sessions, with the remaining money accused of being controlled by Juma and Ndirangu.
Parents are accused of paying for lessons that are later handled by visiting teachers brought from western Kenya during half terms and parts of the school holidays.
Jamhuri High School teachers who remain at the school to support the visiting teachers are accused of receiving no payment from the money collected from parents.
The complaint identifies mobile money shops near Rabi House along Ngara Limuru Road as places used to deposit cash into Juma’s mobile number after the money has been collected from parents.
One of the businesses is named as Link Com Holdings Rabi House, with another identified as Patmut Company Dokun Enterprise operating from a chemist within the same area.
The complainants want investigators to review mobile money records belonging to Juma, Ndirangu, class teachers, the named businesses and parents who paid for remedial lessons.
School transport and insurance payments are similarly mentioned, with the complaint accusing the school of paying insurance costs covering Juma’s private vehicles together with the school bus.
The complainants say insurance for the Toyota Crown and Toyota Alphard runs at the same time as the school bus policy, with the payments accused of being processed together.
Teacher motivation trips are similarly accused of including Juma’s family members, who reportedly travel by air using school money as teachers travel by road.
The complaint says members of Juma’s family receive accommodation and daily allowances equal to payments given to teachers during school sponsored trips.
Flights, holidays, rent and cash payments linked to women accused of having relationships with Juma are similarly said to be funded through school accounts.
The complaint gives several mobile numbers said to belong to teachers or former teachers who received money from the principal, though the claims have not been backed by mobile money statements.
One teaching practice student is accused of being housed in a rented home near Ngara using money linked to the school, with the arrangement reportedly continuing after she completed her placement.
The complainants accuse Juma of using school funds to support personal relationships, travel and private living costs, leaving Jamhuri High School with repeated financial shortages.
Former board members are reported to have questioned Juma’s spending and refused to sign some cheques, with their terms later ending before a new board was appointed.
The new board is accused of including people who served with Juma at Uhuru Secondary School and who are said to approve spending without challenging his decisions.
The complaint claims supplier records are used to cover gaps created after school money has been spent, with businesses accused of receiving payments for goods or services that were never delivered.
The complainants similarly accuse Juma of intimidating teachers, threatening transfers and using contacts at the Teachers Service Commission and Ministry of Education to remove staff members who challenge him.
Teachers are reportedly told to complete transfer forms, with Juma accused of saying he can release them immediately or make their working lives difficult.
Five teachers were reportedly transferred after schools reopened, with some accused of being exchanged for teachers linked to Juma’s former school despite Jamhuri High School hiring BOM teachers in the same departments.
Juma is accused of calling TSC and Ministry of Education officials during staff meetings, placing the calls on loudspeaker and using the conversations to show teachers that he has strong government connections.
The complaint says Juma uses photographs taken with President William Ruto during the LPG launch to tell staff members that he speaks to the President and enjoys protection from senior officials.
Teachers are similarly accused of being discussed negatively in front of students, with the complaint saying this has damaged trust between learners and members of staff.
The complaints say Juma prefers visiting teachers brought from western Kenya, with regular Jamhuri High School teachers accused of being pushed aside during revision and examination periods.
The school is similarly accused of examination cheating during the 2023 and 2024 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education examinations, with police officers, invigilators, supervisors and teachers accused of taking part.
The complaint says examination papers were removed, photocopied and answered by selected teachers hiding inside the principal’s residence before answers were delivered to students.
Teachers from schools such as Maseno and Kanga are accused of being hired on BOM terms and used to prepare answers during examinations, with promises of permanent employment later failing to happen.
The school mean score reportedly rose from 4.2 to 6.2 after the 2023 examinations, with the complainants saying the improved results brought praise from parents and education officials.
The following year is accused of having a larger cheating operation, with the complaint saying KNEC noticed unusual results and later reduced some grades.
Students who expected high grades are reported to have received lower marks, with one top student accused of falling into depression after the results were released.
The complaint says parents were told the school administration was following up with KNEC, though the grades remained unchanged.
The pressure placed on students and teachers is blamed in the complaint for repeated unrest, including fires in classrooms and threats to burn dormitories during examination periods.
Boarding teachers are reportedly ordered to sit outside dormitories through the night to stop students from rioting, then report for morning lessons from 7am without resting.
The complaint says some teachers have become exhausted from the night duties, long teaching hours, transfer threats and pressure linked to examination performance.
Students, teachers and support staff are reported to have spoken to auditors and Ministry of Education officers during earlier visits to the school, including one inspection carried out in April.
The complainants accuse officers who carried out past investigations of leaving without taking action after receiving information about missing property, financial problems, student treatment and procurement concerns.
Juma is similarly accused of telling staff members that government officers investigating the school can be paid to stop reports from reaching senior offices.
The complainants say Jamhuri High School remains under financial pressure despite collecting money from parents, hiring out facilities, selling uniforms, receiving government funding and purchasing goods through several suppliers.
They have asked PPRA, EACC, TSC, KNEC, DCI and the Ministry of Education to review asset disposal records, supplier payments, bank accounts, mobile money statements, vehicle insurance policies and construction materials linked to the school.
The complaint similarly asks investigators to interview former board members, teachers, students, parents, support staff, drivers, storekeepers, bursars, contractors, suppliers and former employees who worked at the school after February 2023.
Juma has not publicly responded to the claims contained in the complaints, which remain accusations presented by anonymous people describing themselves as concerned observers of Jamhuri High School.