The Anglo Leasing Scandal

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The Anglo Leasing scandal was one of Kenya’s most notorious corruption cases, involving a web of fraudulent procurement contracts awarded between 2001 and 2004. These deals, valued at around US $770 million (about Sh 110 billion in today's value), were for critical security projects such as tamper-proof passports, a forensic laboratory, and an oceanographic survey vessel. In reality, many of the contracts went to phantom companies that delivered little or nothing, while inflating prices several times over. One example involved passport production equipment originally quoted at €6 million, which was awarded to a company called Anglo Leasing Finance for €30 million, only for the same company to subcontract the work to the original low-cost bidder.

The scandal came to public light in 2005 when John Githongo, then Permanent Secretary for Governance and Ethics, resigned and released a dossier implicating top government officials. Those he named included Vice-President Moody Awori, Justice Minister Kiraitu Murungi, Finance Minister David Mwiraria, and Transport Minister Chris Murungaru. Several businessmen, notably members of the Kamani family—Deepak and Rashmi Kamani—were also linked to the scheme through offshore entities and shell corporations. The fraudulent contracts spanned the final years of President Daniel arap Moi’s administration and the early part of President Mwai Kibaki’s government, pointing to systemic weaknesses in Kenya’s procurement system and entrenched political patronage.

The Anglo Leasing affair was not only a domestic embarrassment but also an international concern. Donor nations and institutions temporarily withheld funding, citing the scandal as evidence of poor governance and misuse of public resources. The revelations underscored the extent of state capture in Kenya and the willingness of high-level officials to manipulate procurement processes for personal gain.

Over the years, there have been multiple attempts to hold those implicated accountable. Criminal charges were brought against several senior former officials and business figures, including ex-Permanent Secretaries Dave Mwangi, Joseph Magari, and David Onyonka, as well as the Kamani brothers. However, prosecutions stalled repeatedly, with key witnesses reluctant to testify and evidence trails growing cold. In January 2024, a magistrate acquitted seven accused individuals, citing insufficient evidence to prove conspiracy to defraud the government.

That ruling was dramatically reversed on August 1, 2025, when the High Court in Nairobi found that the magistrate had erred in law. The court ordered the seven accused—among them the Kamani brothers and several former senior civil servants—to stand trial for conspiracy, abuse of office, and procurement fraud. While former Finance Minister David Mwiraria had since died, the charges against the living defendants were revived, signaling renewed legal momentum in a case that had languished for nearly two decades.

Parallel to the criminal proceedings, civil asset recovery actions have also been pursued. In March 2021, the High Court ruled that former Treasury Chief Accountant Patrick Ochieno Abachi had amassed unexplained wealth linked to the Anglo Leasing contracts. His properties, bank accounts, luxury vehicles, and land parcels were ordered forfeited to the state under the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act. Efforts to delay or block the forfeiture failed in 2021, and the state is now set to seize the assets, though appeals may still be filed.

Today, the Anglo Leasing case remains active, with the revived criminal trials and ongoing civil recovery actions demonstrating that, even decades after the contracts were signed, Kenya is still grappling with the legacy of the scandal. The renewed prosecutions are being seen as a test of the country’s ability to pursue high-level corruption cases to their conclusion, and of whether political connections will continue to shield powerful individuals from justice.

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John Githongo is definitely one of the few political appointees whose personal character genuinely matched the demands of his public role.
His ouster was more proof that the mafia own this country. He had to seek asylum for exposing theft of public money. I'm sure if such happened today, the public would join hands to support him.
 
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