This is a series documenting the corruption of one of the most untouchable governors in Kenya.
Narok County Governor Samuel Ole Tunai’s network of deceit, corruption and money laundering goes deep and in this article, you’ll learn how money moves from one person to the next and ultimately how the monies are shared and concealed in plain sight.
The EACC has been lax in untangling this intricate criminal network in Narok. Even the most celebrated former Auditor General Edward Ouko missed this. But did he?
As stated in an earlier post, Governor Tunai is a very rich man but one who has not hesitated to continue enriching himself using the county coffers.
Governor Tunai’s kickbacks and stolen money is handled by his Chief of Staff Fred Ntekerei. The CEC’s some of whom are his relatives are good at the game of enriching the family. Running the county like a family business where they mostly enrich themselves without care for the Narok citizens.
One Narok resident puts it like this:
Narok county CEC’s, CO’s and Directors are just departmental puppets, whose work is just to spearhead programs, prepare and sign governor’s loot. They only rely on a measly Ksh.500,000 monthly department operation fund. They are very broke. Narok County MCA’s will pass any law/Bill just to be Paid by the Governor 20k with a fuel of 5k.
One thing is certain, those close to Gov Tunai are rich because they are the only one who matters according to sources. These are Fred Ntekerei, Elizabeth Lolchoki, and the Governor.
After an article on cnyakundi.com revealed how the anti-corruption body is preparing imminent arrests of key people in Narok County government for stealing of funds, the governor has ‘reached out’ to try to cover for his men since he knows that if they are arrested, he will be too.
Going by the recent events where the elected governor for Kiambu Ferdinand Waititu has been successfully impeached, things are hot in Narok.
A source confirms that the Governor and his inner circle are running helter-skelter trying to cover their crimes.
Sources intimate that Mr. Tunai owns more than five Luxury Lodges in the Maasai Mara Ecosystem, which are not listed in the controller of budget reports as paying park entry fees. These luxury lodges charges on the lowest $80 (sh8000) per person per day.
There is also a brewing helicopter hiring scandal that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission is working on with plans to question some officials that are using it as a cash-cow.
Money that is stolen from the county is invested in the construction of new buildings, buying luxury hotels in Tanzania and South Africa, hidden in luxury hotels accounts that the governor owns in the Maasai Mara.
Most of the revenue collected at the Maasai Mara does not show on the ground as it disappears into thin air.
A source stated that many managers at the park only work for a few months and walk away with tens of millions which they invest in purchasing land and livestock.
Governor Tunai’s past deeds
In 2019, the governor was put on the spot to explain stalled school projects initiated by his administration amounting to Ksh605 million. The man has pocketed MCAs in his county as earlier stated. Four of them immediately came to his defence over the misuse of fund.
Tunai robbed Narokians money in broad daylight, schools are a prerogative of the National government. It makes matters worse that the projects stalled. The simple explanation, money was stolen.
In 2013, it was revealed that the Narok Governor Samuel Tunai owned a 2,359.6 acres of land most of which borders the famous Maasai Mara Game Reserve.
Tunai who is rich has also stolen massively from the county. The governor who is on his second term is said to be planning to run as a Member of National Assembly for Kilgoris. A move which a section of residents has vowed to block vehemently due to his underdevelopment and corruption records.
In Tunai’s 2.359.6 acres of land, a small settlement had formed but was burned down in 2003 in the deep of the night. 300 families were left homeless.
In 2015, Governor Tunai refused to declare the total amount it collects from the Masai Mara Game Reserve before the Senate.
At that time, Tunai has given the revenue collection contract irregularly to KAPS — an electronic ticketing firm that offers car parking payment solutions, access control and revenue management systems.
This scandal was never successfully prosecuted.
However, though the Governor said that he doesn’t know how much is collected, the firm KAPS have a figure of Ksh1.097 billion in a period of 11 months.
In 2017, ODM Party leader Raila Odinga accused Governor Tunai and DP Ruto of looting Ksh3 billion illegally from the Maasai Mara though a shadowy firm.
Governor Tunai denied the above claims.
Reports indicate that the corrupt Tunai is living in fear as EACC, DCI, DPP are keen on rekindling their investigations.
