The hearing of a petition seeking the removal of controversial Kenya Railways Managing Director Philip Mainga will begin on Wednesday at the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Nairobi.
Mainga’s tenure at the parastatal has come under scrutiny following serious allegations of corruption, including claims of irregular leasing of public assets. The petition was filed by Nairobi activist Abdinur Wario.
According to court documents, the petitioner alleges that Mainga unlawfully awarded a tender worth KSh 88.2 million to First Choice General Suppliers Limited, a company purportedly controlled by his long-term fiancée.
“The respondent is alleged to have allocated and leased public land without board approval, which amounts to abuse of office,” Wario stated in the petition.
The applicant further claims that since Mainga took office as board chairman of Kenya Railways Corporation, the institution has recorded significant financial losses — KSh 35.5 billion previously and KSh 50.4 billion in the year ending June 2024 — making it one of the worst-performing state agencies.
Other parties listed in the matter include the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Public Service Commission (PSC), the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA), and the Board of Directors of Kenya Railways Corporation.