At the heart of Nairobi’s City Hall is a financial system that has completely collapsed under Governor Johnson Sakaja’s watch. What appears from the outside as a normal government office is in fact a tightly controlled network of secret deals, suspicious payments, and unchecked power.
Behind all this is a small inner circle that seems to operate without fear, moving large sums of public money into private hands. And Sakaja, despite being the governor, appears either powerless to stop it or fully comfortable benefiting from the silence.
According to reports published by Cyprian Nyakundi, a web of corruption has grown quietly inside City Hall, where loyalty matters more than integrity and where public money is controlled by a few individuals.
These revelations expose how a clique of county officials have formed a cartel that decides who gets paid, which company gets which contract, and how the budget is drained without proper oversight.
The reports detail how Nairobi’s finances are now controlled not through official county structures, but through personal relationships and hidden deals.At the center of this mess is Asha Abdi, known inside City Hall as the “sacred girl.”
As the Chief Finance Officer, Asha controls nearly every decision involving money. From road construction to garbage collection, her signature carries the final word.
But her role isn’t just about oversight. Insiders say she is directly involved in awarding contracts to companies run by friends and family, making her the gatekeeper of Nairobi’s public funds.
Her grip is so strong that very few decisions are made without her approval. Working hand in hand with her is Charles Kerich, the Finance CECM. He may appear quiet, but behind the scenes, he is a key player in the financial schemes.
Together with Asha, they operate as a unit, directing money to specific contractors and keeping a tight lid on their tracks. Their ally in all this is Eston Kimathi, the acting CEO of the Ward Development Fund, whose position is questionable since another person reportedly holds the official appointment letter.
But Kimathi remains in place, not because of merit, but because of his usefulness in pushing money down to the ward level where it’s easier to misappropriate without detection. One of the companies flagged in these reports is Emari Ventures. In just three months, it received nearly seventy-two million shillings for work that cannot be verified.
In March 2024 alone, the firm was paid nineteen million for the so-called rehabilitation of a social hall in Embakasi East. Since then, over 230 million shillings have been paid to Emari Ventures.
Other firms like Zonari Investment and Centreline Logistics also received massive payments for projects that either don’t exist or were already funded before.
As each financial year ends, there’s a sudden spike in payments. This is when most of the budget is cleared under the excuse of settling pending bills. But insiders say this is just a trick to push through last-minute payments and loot the county treasury before the books close.
It’s a yearly routine where fake projects, inflated contracts, and questionable transactions flood the records.Anyone who tries to question this system pays the price. Staff who refuse to cooperate are demoted, reassigned, or forced out.
Daniel Nguru, a senior accountant, was moved to social services after clashing with the budget committee. Martha Wambugu was removed and sent to risk management, while Caroline Wang’ang’a was promoted to head of treasury despite being seen as Asha’s direct puppet.
The corruption extends to the MCAs. In Eastleigh North, MCA Ahmedgadar Mohamed Dabar has been working closely with Asha and Eston to redirect ward funds into shady private deals. Those who comply get rewarded. Those who resist are pushed aside. Names like Kevin Musamia, Vincent Muhanji, Stephen Mafura, and Denis Muia have also been linked to these corrupt operations, and even Speaker Ken Ng’ondi’s name appears in internal investigations.One of Asha’s close contacts described her as the real power behind the money.
She controls the accountants, decides who gets paid, and ensures most companies being funded are either tied to her directly or are part of her inner circle. These are companies making millions without doing any actual work, draining Nairobi’s resources one paper deal at a time.Everyone at City Hall knows what’s going on. But very few are willing to speak out.
The system is built to protect itself. And under Sakaja’s leadership, nothing is changing. The money keeps flowing while the city continues to rot.
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