It has now been established that the fallout between Governor Gideon Mung’aro and immediate former County Secretary Martin Mwaro stemmed from leaked information relating to various tender deals flagged by oversight committees in the county.
Mwaro’s removal, who had long been viewed as a trusted lieutenant of the governor, came as a surprise to many. A leaked garbage tender in Mtwapa is at the centre of a fallout that led to the removal of Kilifi County Secretary Martin Mwaro.
But insiders have reliably informed the writer that close allies of the governor were in possession of critical details linking Mwaro to the leaking of documents associated with a garbage collection tender.
He was also linked to the release of sensitive information to investigative agencies in relation to tenders under the Health and Public Works departments.
His ouster has not gone down well with residents of Magarini where he was born and raised.
The tension has been compounded by the fact that his replacement is a relative of the governor.
What has drawn even more attention is the nature of the abrupt fallout, with a senior county official confirming that Governor Mung’aro had earlier confronted Mwaro over claims of cooperation with DCI and EACC officers.
“It all boils down to the tenders and information that has leaked, especially on the controversial Mtwapa case which attracted a lot of attention,” the senior official said.
During the announcement, Kilifi County spokesperson Johnathan Mativo read a press statement in which the governor indicated that the decision had been made “in the interest of promoting good governance, integrity, and accountability within the county administration.”
Governor Mung’aro appointed Catherine Kenga, the current County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Public Works, Roads, and Transport, as the Acting County Secretary and Head of Public Service for an initial term of six months.
Additional reports show that Catherine is a blood cousin to the governor and a daughter of the late engineer Masha, who previously served at the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) as a structural engineer.
Before taking up a role in the county administration, she worked as a media liaison officer at Marta Hospital, where she was later suspended over alleged drug-related issues.
“The new CS has been instructed not to disclose any county information to external parties, including investigative agencies such as DCI and EACC, without direct authorisation from Governor Gideon Mung’aro,” the staff member said.
Martin Mwaro, who has yet to make a public statement regarding his dismissal, was introduced to the governor by businessman Francis Ngala, who is currently under investigation in connection with the Mtwapa garbage collection tender.
Prior to his role in Kilifi, Mwaro served as County Secretary in Kwale during the administration of former Governor Salim Mvurya.
He is no stranger to controversy, having previously been linked to corruption claims in Kwale where, alongside his wife, now the MCA for Kayafungo Ward in Kilifi, he was subject to multiple investigations.
Earlier this year, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) wrote to the Kilifi County Government seeking documentation related to garbage collection tenders.
The letter, received by the Office of the County Secretary on 12 February 2025, requested information regarding tender number KCG/WEFNR/1246 119/2023/2024 for garbage collection and disposal in Mtwapa.
The DCI also sought details for tender number CGK/MM/OT/027/2023/2024 for similar services in Malindi Town and its environs.
The company alleged to have been awarded the tenders is Kaereny Construction and Engineering Supplies Limited.
“The office is investigating a reported case of land conspiracy to defraud the County Government of Kilifi contrary to Section 317 of the Penal Code CAP 63 L.o.K and other related offences linked to the matter,” the letter read.
The DCI requested to be furnished with quotations from all bidding companies, statutory documentation, budget approvals, tender documents, evaluation reports, minutes from the tender committee, award contracts, and inspection reports.
They also requested payment vouchers with supporting documents and any other information that could assist with the investigation.
The letter was copied to the departments of accounting, procurement, lands and water and natural resources.
Kaereny Construction and Engineering Supplies Ltd has reportedly been providing garbage collection services in Mtwapa. Registration records show it is owned by Final Kadzo Kithi, the wife of Francis Ngala.
According to available records, the firm lacks proper documentation and has allegedly been securing tenders through irregular methods.
The DCI has not issued any official updates on the summoning of 20 senior officers from the county.
Among those summoned are Yahya Shoshi (Executive Committee Member for Finance and Economic Planning), Zam Zam Ali (Chief Officer for Water and Environment), Hezekiah Mwarua (Chief Officer for Finance), Mathias Jefwa Mwachiru (Head of Procurement), Titus Katana (Procurement Officer), Julius Kiplimo (Road Engineering Department), Winnie Wakati Luwali (Chief Officer for Public Service Management - PSM), and Jimmy Kahindi (Director for Environment), among others.
The letter, addressed to the County Secretary and received on 21 March 2025, directed the officials to appear at the DCI offices in Kilifi for statement recording without fail.