The Nairobi City County Government could be losing billions of shillings in revenue through a well organised cartel operating within the Built Environment sector, with claims that the network is led by an enforcement officer identified as Washington Mathangi.
He is the officer who deals with clearance of trucks carrying construction material.
According to sources within concerned authorities,the cartel in pocketing millions from truck operators carrying construction material.
With almost every part of Nairobi experiencing massive construction works,the county is supposed to be making at least Ksh1billion from toll station charges on truck operators.
However, Mr.Washington Mathangi alias Mukorino at the control of everything at the enforcement stage,millions are diverted through negotiations with truck operators who want to pay less with guaranteed protection.
He has been at City Hall since the defunct City Council Days and has grown through the system unnoticed but with vicious precision for revenue divertion in the Build Environment sector.
The cartel is also accused of manipulating enforcement processes, frustrating legitimate developers and property owners, and creating opportunities for illegal payments.
Activist Ben Mwangi has said he will be wring to investigative bodies to look into the matter.
The activisit claims the activities of the network have negatively affected the county’s efforts to maximise revenue collection from the construction and property development sector, potentially costing taxpayers billions of shillings over the years.
Stakeholders in the industry are also calling for thorough investigations into the allegations, arguing that entrenched corruption within the Built Environment department has discouraged compliance, delayed development projects, and undermined investor confidence.
The allegations come at a time when the Nairobi County Government has intensified reforms aimed at improving governance, enhancing transparency, and increasing own-source revenue collection.
The allegations are expected to pile pressure on the county administration and investigative agencies to examine the conduct of officers within the department, identify those responsible, and institute appropriate disciplinary or criminal action.
The officer is also under separate accusations of serving deep into his retirement age but this is yet to be confirmed.
