According to a post on X by Karomo Richu, there could be a major corruption scandal involving 600 acres of eucalyptus trees at Eldoret Airport.
Reports suggest that timber estimated to be worth over Sh2 billion has been shockingly undervalued to just Sh400 million.
The undervaluation reportedly followed a controversial and unclear back-and-forth valuation process carried out by the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) at the request of the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA).
The huge difference in figures has raised eyebrows among leaders and the public, sparking questions about possible corruption, hidden deals, and government accountability in the management of public resources.
During a parliamentary session, Njoro MP Charity Kathambi, a vocal member of the National Assembly’s Environment, Forestry and Mining Committee, raised serious concerns about the undervaluation in front of Environment Cabinet Secretary Debora Mulongo, KAA Acting CEO Dr. Mohamed Gedi, and Principal Secretary Gitonga Mugambi.
Kathambi reportedly demanded answers on how and why timber worth billions could be revalued to a fraction of its actual worth without any solid evidence of damage or degradation. However, her efforts to seek clarity were cut short when the Committee Chair, MP Vincent Musyoka Kawaya, suddenly ended the discussion and called for a closed-door meeting.
According to reports, the committee members later emerged from the private session appearing to speak in agreement, with Kathambi’s questions left unanswered.
The sudden shift in tone raised suspicion that the issue may have been silenced deliberately to protect powerful interests behind the undervaluation.
CS Debora Mulongo appeared unaware of the details, while PS Gitonga Mugambi seemed to have a deeper understanding of who could be benefiting from the undervaluation.
This difference in responses has only fueled speculation that something larger and more secretive could be unfolding behind the scenes.
Karomo Richu’s post highlights critical questions that many Kenyans are now asking. Why was the timber’s value reduced on grounds of “tree degradation” without concrete proof?
Why did the KFS use a flat average pricing method instead of evaluating trees based on their different sizes and qualities?
Most importantly, who stands to benefit from this suspicious undervaluation, and why was the location Eldoret chosen for such a questionable deal?
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