Governor Gideon Mung’aro of Kilifi is now facing increased tension with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations following the dramatic removal of former County Secretary Martin Mwaro.
The friction began when Mwaro was dismissed from his position, but a court soon issued an order asking the county to reinstate him temporarily.
Despite this, Governor Mung’aro showed defiance by instructing his staff to forcibly remove Mwaro from office even after he arrived with the court injunction.
The resulting confrontation turned chaotic, with Mwaro’s security team clashing with county officers. The entire event was recorded and widely shared online, drawing public attention and criticism.
Lady Justice Monica Mbaru had made it clear in her ruling that the County Secretary position should remain unfilled until the matter is heard on May 5.
However, this did not stop the governor’s administration from ejecting Mwaro. County staff followed him to his car, some shouting threats while the gates were locked behind him.
One of Mwaro’s aides was seen making frantic calls as police officers on site refused to intervene. On April 3, Mung’aro had already appointed Catherine Kenga as the Acting County Secretary and Head of Public Service.
She is currently the CEC for Public Works and also believed to be a close relative of the governor.
The fallout between Mung’aro and Mwaro seems rooted in leaked information related to sensitive county tenders. It’s alleged that Mwaro shared documents with DCI officers about a garbage collection tender in Mtwapa, which was later leaked to the media.
He’s also accused of passing along internal documents related to tenders in the Health and Public Works departments. A senior county official revealed that the governor confronted Mwaro over his links with both the DCI and EACC, blaming him for exposing county dealings.
One controversial case is the Mtwapa garbage contract, which has drawn public attention.
Catherine Kenga, who replaced Mwaro, has reportedly been warned not to share any internal information with external agencies like the DCI or EACC without the governor’s approval.
Her appointment raised eyebrows due to her close family ties with the governor. Meanwhile, Mwaro’s history in public service has not been without scandal. He previously served as County Secretary in Kwale under Salim Mvurya and has faced corruption allegations alongside his wife, the current MCA for Kayafungo Ward.
In February 2025, the DCI formally requested records from Kilifi County regarding two major garbage collection tenders, one in Mtwapa and another in Malindi. The tenders were reportedly awarded to Kaereny Construction and Engineering Supplies Limited, a company linked to Final Kadzo Kithi, wife of businessman Francis Ngala.
Ngala is said to have entered Kilifi’s business circles through connections with Ali Noor, a former ally of Governor Mung’aro. Their partnership allegedly ended after Ngala failed to share proceeds from county payments as agreed.
The DCI letter listed detailed requirements, including quotations, tender documents, payment records, and meeting minutes. It also mentioned that investigations were underway into possible land fraud involving the county.
This has only fueled tensions between Mung’aro and investigative agencies. In September 2024, Mung’aro publicly accused the DCI of interfering in county land issues.
He claimed that some officers were working with land cartels to threaten locals and insisted that land matters were a county issue, not a national one.
The entire situation paints a troubling picture of Kilifi County, where political power struggles, questionable tender dealings, and open defiance of court orders are all playing out.
With the DCI continuing its investigations and the court hearing around the corner, the showdown between Mung’aro and those he sees as opponents is far from over.
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