Professor Herman Manyora, a well-known academic and political commentator from the University of Nairobi, is now involved in a serious corruption scandal.
Manyora has often appeared on Kenyan television to discuss politics, but recent events have put him in a very different spotlight.
The Nairobi Hospital has publicly called him an “imposter chairman” and accused him of using a forged letter to falsely claim he was the head of its Board of Management. Beyond this, the hospital alleges that Manyora ran a scheme to extort money from one of its suppliers by threatening to end her business contract unless she paid him.
These serious claims come from a statutory declaration by Josephine Kavulani Luseno, who owns Sipho Solutions Limited, a construction company.
In her sworn statement, Luseno says that after she submitted a bid for a Nairobi Hospital project called the Proposed Radiology Extension at the Old Pharmacy in June 2024, Manyora began calling her repeatedly.
She says he told her he was a director at the hospital and threatened to block her bid unless she paid him 2 million Kenyan shillings.
Luseno says the pressure continued until August 15, 2024, when she transferred 500,000 shillings to a bank account at KCB’s Hurlingham Branch.
The account belongs to Nairobi Review Limited, a company officially owned and run by Manyora. Luseno provided documents showing the payment and WhatsApp messages allegedly from Manyora giving her the account details.
Even though Luseno’s company won the tender on merit, she says the threats did not stop. From January to May 2025, Manyora reportedly kept demanding money, warning her that failure to pay would lead to the cancellation of her contract with the hospital.
Luseno attached M-Pesa statements showing smaller payments to Manyora and one of his associates.In her affidavit, Luseno says Manyora abused his position as a board member to gain money unfairly and that he should not keep his role.
She also says that if the hospital does not act properly, she will involve government authorities.
On August 9, 2025, the Nairobi Hospital’s actual chairman, Dr. Barcley Onyambu, released a statement denying that Manyora was ever chairman.
The hospital said it had reported Manyora’s actions to the authorities and warned the public that only official communication comes from Dr. Onyambu or the hospital’s CEO, Felix Osano.
Records from the Companies Registry connect Manyora directly to Nairobi Review Limited, confirming his control over the company where Luseno’s payment was sent.
This situation has raised concern about how someone could fake authority and demand bribes, risking the hospital’s reputation and shaking confidence among suppliers and insurers.
The hospital insists its operations will continue under CEO Osano’s leadership, showing a clear message that real authority remains with the appointed officials despite the scandal.
It remains unclear if police investigations will result in charges against Manyora. However, if Luseno’s claims are proven, this case could become one of the biggest examples of extortion linked to procurement in Kenya’s private health sector.
It highlights the dangers that arise when people misuse positions of power to turn public tenders into personal gain, putting corporate trust and integrity at risk.
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