Kisumu City Manager Michael Abala Wanga is facing renewed public scrutiny over a Sh7.2 billion court award against Kisumu County, alongside previous criminal proceedings and corruption-related charges that were later withdrawn.
The matters have brought fresh attention to Wanga’s record as Kisumu heads towards the 2027 political period.
At the centre of the concerns is a court judgment arising from a county project, with the financial consequences now placing a major burden on the county government.
Court Case Leaves County With Massive Bill
The financial dispute stems from a contract signed on December 2, 2020 between Kisumu County and Spacebuster Limited for the establishment and operation of container-based tuck shops.
The agreement provided for compensation to the contractor if the county brought the ten-year arrangement to an end before its expiry.
The dispute later escalated into a court battle after disagreements emerged over the implementation of the project.In a judgment delivered on February 27, 2025, High Court Judge Mwanaisha Shariff ordered the Kisumu City Board and the County Government of Kisumu to pay Spacebuster Sh7,203,330,000.
The court heard that Wanga had demanded Sh10 million before the contractor could receive approval to establish tuck shops at each new site.
According to the judgment, the demand was expected to apply to every additional area where the company wanted to operate.
The project was subsequently suspended. Wanga also held a press conference and was involved in the demolition of structures associated with the project.
During the proceedings, the county did not cross-examine the contractor’s witness and did not call evidence of its own.Justice Shariff consequently made findings that placed significant responsibility on the circumstances surrounding the project and the resulting financial exposure to the county.
Sh7.2 Billion Decree Puts Pressure on Kisumu
The size of the award has created a major financial challenge for Kisumu County.
The county’s approved budget for the 2025/2026 financial year was approximately Sh16.33 billion.
The judgment therefore amounts to a substantial share of the county’s annual budget.
Kisumu must also contend with other financial obligations, including supplier debts, court decrees and legal claims.
The issue remained active in 2026, with Spacebuster pursuing further legal action in an effort to enforce the judgment.
On September 23, 2026, County Executive for Finance George Okong’o raised concerns about court decrees affecting the county’s finances. He also said the county had lodged complaints with the Judicial Service Commission concerning some judges.
The financial implications of the judgment have consequently become a broader issue for the county, particularly as officials seek to balance legal obligations with spending on essential services and development.
Academic Certificate Case Added to Legal Questions
Wanga has also previously been the subject of investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.
In November 2025, EACC announced that the Director of Public Prosecutions had approved charges linked to disputed academic certificates and the alleged fraudulent acquisition of public property.
EACC said its investigations established that Wanga had presented certificates indicating a KCSE mean grade of C+.
The commission said records from the Kenya National Examinations Council showed his actual grade as D+.EACC further alleged that Wanga received about Sh8.7 million in salaries and allowances after obtaining his appointment using the disputed certificates.
The matter resulted in criminal charges, although it did not end in a conviction against Wanga.
Lagos Trip Also Came Under Investigation
Another part of the investigation concerned a trip to Lagos in July 2024.
Prosecutors alleged that an invitation letter connected to the trip had been altered and used to secure excess facilitation amounting to approximately Sh283,402.
Investigators also raised questions about the composition of the delegation. EACC alleged that a woman who was not a Kisumu County employee travelled as part of the official delegation and received allowances paid for by the county.
The case included charges of forgery, uttering false documents, fraudulent acquisition of public property and presenting forged certificates.
However, the proceedings were later withdrawn.
On April 13, 2026, the Milimani Anti-Corruption Court permitted the prosecution to withdraw the charges under Section 87A of the Criminal Procedure Code.
The withdrawal did not amount to an acquittal. It left the prosecution with the possibility of bringing the charges again.
Previous Conviction Followed by Later Acquittal
Wanga’s legal history also includes an earlier case dating back to his tenure as chief executive of the Kenya Medical Laboratory Technicians and Technologists Board.
A Kiambu court convicted him in August 2019 over fraud-related offences and handed him a six-month prison sentence without the option of paying a fine.
Wanga challenged the conviction through an appeal and remained out of prison as the legal process continued.
The matter later produced a different outcome.
In December 2025, a civil court awarded Wanga Sh5 million against the same Board in a dispute concerning a 2014 notice.
The court also recorded that he had subsequently been acquitted of the fraud charges that the Board had cited. The separate outcomes are important when examining the various cases involving Wanga.
The 2019 conviction was an earlier criminal court decision, while the later acquittal followed the appeal process concerning those charges.
Questions Grow as 2027 Approaches
Wanga’s various legal battles have now become part of wider scrutiny surrounding his public record as Kisumu enters another political cycle.
The cases have different backgrounds and outcomes, ranging from the Sh7.2 billion civil judgment to withdrawn criminal charges and earlier proceedings that later resulted in an acquittal.
For Kisumu residents, the most immediate issue is the financial burden created by the Sh7.2 billion decree.
The county has to find a way of dealing with the judgment while continuing to finance healthcare, infrastructure, salaries, basic services and other development programmes.
As political activity builds ahead of 2027, attention is therefore likely to remain on Wanga’s record and the circumstances surrounding the major financial judgment against the county.
The questions facing Kisumu are not limited to Wanga’s political ambitions. They also concern how the county will meet the massive decree and protect funds meant for public services while dealing with the financial consequences of the Spacebuster dispute.
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