A Nairobi-based lawyer petitioned President William Ruto to remove Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia from his position as Chairperson of the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC), alleging abuse of office, financial mismanagement, and academic fraud.
In the petition, Elizabeth Ochieng accuses Dr. Kobia of presiding over massive financial losses at the commission, with debts ballooning to over Sh200 million in less than three years.
She claimed that suppliers remain unpaid, with some already pursuing legal action to recover dues.
According to the petition, Dr. Kobia is alleged to have authorized unauthorized withdrawals from the commission’s accounts under the guise of “confidential funds” without board approval, taken overdrafts without lawful authority in violation of the Public Finance Management Act, and embarked on expensive foreign trips despite the agency’s strained finances.
The petitioner further alleges that Dr. Kobia abused his office by issuing two separate contracts to former NCIC Chief Executive Officer Dr. Skitter Wangeci, one for three years and another for five years.
The five-year contract, she claims, was designed to help Dr. Wangeci secure a mortgage at a preferential rate reserved for state officers, despite her not being entitled to such benefits.
“It is my belief that this action constitutes abuse of office and potentially fraudulent misrepresentation, which is a direct violation of Chapter 6 of the Constitution of Kenya on Leadership and Integrity and the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act, 2003,” said Ochieng.
The matter is reportedly under investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
“This specific matter is currently pending investigation by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI),” read the document.
Ochieng alleged that Dr Kobia presented forged papers, a claim that, if proven, she says, could amount to criminal offences under the Penal Code, including forgery and uttering false documents.
“The continued holding of office by Dr. Kobia amounts to a blatant breach of constitutional principles under Article 10,” the petition states.
She now wants the President to institute a thorough investigation into the allegations and recommend Dr. Kobia’s removal, while also strengthening oversight at the commission to safeguard public resources and restore public trust.
The petition was lodged through the Ministry of Interior and National Administration under Cabinet Secretary Onesmus Kipchumba Murkomen.
