Scandal Rocks KRA: Fired Manager Claims She Lost Job for Defying Chairman Anthony Mwaura’s Kids in Auction Bribery!
A former senior manager at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) testified in court that she was dismissed last year for denying special treatment to the children of chairman Anthony Mwaura during a car auction at the Port of Mombasa.
Rosemary Njeri Mureithi, formerly a chief manager at Kilindini port, claims she was terminated in August after refusing to allow Mwaura’s children to purchase cars and tires through a private treaty during a gazetted auction.
In a petition submitted to the Employment and Labour Relations Court in Milimani, Mureithi asserts that her refusal to comply with this request led to her dismissal.
“I informed them that their request was neither reasonable nor procedural, as the auction was regulated by the East African Customs Management Act of 2010. Deviating from this framework could result in legal repercussions for KRA,” she stated in her court affidavit.
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She is suing KRA for wrongful termination, seeking compensation for lost earnings amounting to Sh6.9 million and gratuity of Sh9.4 million.
KRA has refuted the allegations, asserting that Mureithi must substantiate her claims.
“The Respondent (KRA) disputes the claims in paragraph 23 of the petition and asserts that the claimant has not provided evidence of any misconduct by the chairperson. This court should regard the claim as baseless, and the claimant is required to provide proof,” KRA said in its response.
The authority maintains that Mureithi’s dismissal was lawful and that she had agreed to the terms of her employment, which she signed on September 22, 2022.
Mureithi stated that she joined KRA as a customs officer in January 1988, became permanent in May 1997, and advanced through the ranks to senior management roles due to her commitment.
In September 2022, she was reassigned from the Internal Container Depot Embakasi (ICDE) to the chief manager of customs operations at the Port of Kilindini.
Decision Challenge
Mureithi indicated she was only seven months into her new position when her employment was terminated on May 31, 2023, without prior notice of any breach of her contractual duties.
Her lawyer, Kubo Mwakichako, reported that she appealed the termination decision about a month later, but KRA upheld the dismissal on August 11, 2023.
Mwakichako noted that before this, Mureithi’s access to KRA’s operating system was revoked on February 23, 2023, and she was placed on a compulsory three-month leave.
He also mentioned that Mureithi recalled a visit from Mwaura’s children and another individual, during which she explained auction procedures. The children reportedly sought to avoid participating in the auction and purchase the vehicles and tires privately.
Mureithi noted that the Commissioner of the Customs & Border Control Department recognized the auction’s success in generating significant revenue for KRA.
However, shortly afterward, Mwaura allegedly visited her office at Mombasa Port, criticized the auction’s legitimacy, and threatened to take action.
“My termination was a result of my adherence to the rules and procedures governing the auction, which was under my management,” Mureithi asserted, maintaining that her dismissal was due to her refusal to grant special favors.
Scandal Rocks KRA: Fired Manager Claims She Lost Job for Defying Chairman Anthony Mwaura’s Kids in Auction Bribery!
