The billion-shilling budgets, three-letter acronyms that succeed their names in official documents, chase cars and attention they draw in public spaces have created an impression of invincibility on the part of many Kenyan politicians.
But it is just an impression, going by recent actions by lenders who have placed on auction properties owned by some of Kenya’s top politicians.
Public Procurement Regulatory Authority Board chairperson Mwangi wa Iria, a former Murang’a Governor, is the latest casualty with an undisclosed lender seeking to sell his residential property in Karen and a hospital in Murang’a.
The assets are set to be auctioned later this month, over an undisclosed debt.
Dalali Traders Auctioneers on Monday advertised to auction wa Iria’s Edinburgh College and Edinburgh Mountain Hospital in Murang’a and the home in Muiri Lane, Karen on August 25.
“Under instructions received from the charge, we shall sell by public auction, the under mentioned properties on 25th August 2026…all that property known as Title No. LOC 11/9944, Edinburgh Mountain Hospital, Milimani Kiharu, Muranga County. Measuring 1.2ha or 2.96 acres. The property is adjacent to Murang’a university college and a proposed hotel and sports complex.
Former Murang'a governor Mwangi Wa Iria.
Photo credit: Lucy Wanjiru | Nation Media Group
“All that property known as Title No. Nairobi/Block 149/152, Muiri Lane Karen, Nairobi. Measuring 0.48 acres. Tenure is leasehold interest registered in the name of Wa-Iria Mwangi g/t Edinburgh College Ltd and Edinburgh Mountain Hospital Ltd,” the auction notice stated.
Things could get harder for the former governor, as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) also seeks to recover Sh543 million that wa Iria is alleged to have obtained fraudulently when serving the people of Murang’a.
He was charged before the anti-corruption court in April 2024 alongside his wife Jane Waigwe and several associates, in relation to Murang’a County Government’s procurement of media and publicity services from Top Image Media Consultants.
Mr Wa Iria currently serves as chairman of the Public Procurement Regulatory Board where he was appointed by President William Ruto in December 2024.
The financial troubles are, however, not unique to the former governor, since several other politicians continue to fight similar battles, as the out-of-office cold catches on with their pockets.
Former Cabinet Secretary (CS) and former Rarieda MP Raphael Tuju has been the most popular auction victim this year, after losing two prime multi-million properties in Karen, over a Sh4.5 billion debt stemming from a loan he acquired a decade ago.
In March this year, Mr Tuju lost his Karen-based Dari Business Park after it emerged that the East African Development Bank (EADB) last year sold the property sitting on 6.8 acres to Ultra Eureka Ltd, owned by Stabex International co-owner Jackson Kiplimo Chebett.
The former CS had used the property as a collateral for a $9.3 million loan advanced by EADB to Dari Ltd in 2015, an amount that has since ballooned to Sh4.5 billion.
On Monday this week, Mr Tuju’s troubles grew further after Garam Investments, one of the renowned auctioneers in the country, made another public announcement to auction his Entim Sidai Wellness Sanctuary, located in Karen, Nairobi.
Raphael Tuju's Dari Restaurant grounds. Mr Tuju lost control of his company, Dari Limited, over a loan owed to the East African Development Bank (EADB).
“The property measures 8.164 hectares (20.2 acres) approximately. The property is developed with an old-style, but well-maintained, spacious, part double-storey, part single-storey colonial house of nine bedrooms, a two-bedroom bungalow, staff quarters, a swimming pool, lawn tennis court and other temporary structures,” part of the auctioneer notice stated.
This will be the second property Mr Tuju loses this year over the EADB debt, after failing to honour a High Court order that temporarily blocked auction of Entim Sidai, on condition that he deposits Sh50 million within a month.
Mr Tuju had used Dari Business Park and Entim Sidai Wellness Sanctaury as collateral for the $9.3 million loan from EADB.
Not an out and out politician, but one who has attained a reputation of bankrolling two presidential campaigns, businesswoman Mary Wambui Mungai has also become the target of a lender.
Ms Mungai, who currently chairs the board of Athi Water Works Development Agency, last month lost control of her five-star Glee Hotel, after Equity Bank placed it under administration in pursuit of a Sh9 billion debt.
“By virtue of administration, the powers of the directors of the company in terms of dealing and or transacting with the company’s assets have ceased,” the lender said in a notice on newspapers.
It appointed Kamal Anantroy Bhatt of Anant Bhatt LLP as administrator of Glee Hotel on July 6, after the hotel’s offer to deposit Sh400 million pending determination of the bank’s insolvency petition was dismissed by the court.
“I have not been provided with specific evidence of the disruption that has so far been created by the administrator as of now since taking over the running of the company. The apprehension that the administrator could therefore run down the business is at this stage unsubstantiated,” the High Court ruled.
Former Communications Authority (CA) Board Chairperson Mary Wambui Mungai.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
Last year, former CS and Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria got court reprieve after his wife successfully sued Equity Bank to suspend a planned auction of their apartment blocks in Ruaka and Juja to recover a Sh54 million loan.
Mr Kuria had initially filed a case to block the auction but was denied orders to suspend the planned auction.
Garam Auctioneers had floated the apartment blocks in April and attracted bids when Mr Kuria’s wife, Joyce Njambi, rushed to court to block the sale, arguing that they were matrimonial properties and the lender failed to seek spousal consent when registering the properties as collateral.
The case is still before court, and is the only thing holding Equity Bank at bay.
Former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu was also the victim of two micro lenders, Pelican Credit and Mwananchi Credit, who put up his land and vehicles for auction.
Pelican Credit in January this year sought the services of Garam Auctioneers to auction a half-acre land owned by Mr Waititu in Ruai, after he defaulted on a Sh30 million loan.
“All that parcel of land known as Title No. Nairobi/Block 105/8659 Ruai/Eastern Bypass Interchange, Ruai Township along Kangundo Road, Nairobi County, registered in the name of Ferdinand Waititu Babayao. The subject property measures 0.2059 hectares (0.509 acres) or thereabouts and it is undeveloped. The title is a leasehold interest for a term of 99 years,” the public notice on January 19 stated.
Mr Moses Kuria.
Photo credit: File | Nation Media Group
Swarup Mishra – former Kesses MP
In November last year, auctioneers’ hammers also fell on former Kesses MP Swarup Mishra, advertising at least six prime properties associated with the former legislator, over a Sh701 million owed to the Bank of India.
The properties included a 0.5336 hectare land hosting Mediheal Hospital and Fertility Center, a 3.91 hectare farm in Mogobich, Uasin Gishu County and a 0.2421 hectare property with a five-storey hospital building, a double-storey pharmacy and a laboratory block.
Peter Weru Kinyua (Former Mathira MP)
The former legislator also became a victim when Keysian Auctioneers announced plans to auction his Garden Estate home in Nairobi last year, over an undisclosed debt.
The property sat on 0.4685 acres of land, with a five-bedroom all-ensuite townhouse, a detached servants’ quarters block, a store block and a sentry house.
“All that property known as L.R. NO.4894(Org No.4894/82/3) Toto close, off Garden Estate Road, Garden Estate, Nairobi City County, registered in the name of Peter Weru Kinyua,” the auction notice stated.
Patrick Wainaina “Jungle” (Former Thika Town MP)
A Macadamia processing company belonging to the former Thika Town legislator was in January last year placed on auction by Stanbic Bank, over non-payment of an unspecified loan.
Philip Okundi (Former Rangwe MP)
For former Rangwe MP Philip Okundi, punctuality was his undoing. While he deposited the Sh7 million he owed Mayfair Bank on October 24, 2023, this was done just hours after the payment deadline.
Last year, the High Court declined to reverse the lender’s decision to auction Mr Okundi’s house in Lavington as the payment had been made one day late, hence was outside the set timelines.
The former Mwala MP and minister during former President Daniel Moi’s era also lost his properties including tractors and livestock last year, after auctioneers descended on his farm to recover an undisclosed debt.
