DCI Summons Two Cricket Kenya Officials Over Sh26.7 Million Theft Allegations

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has summoned Cricket Kenya Chairman Manoj Patel and Acting Treasurer Kennedy Obuya to answer queries over the alleged misappropriation of Sh26.7 million from the federation’s coffers.

In separate summons issued this week, Senior Superintendent of Police Hillary Mutai, who heads the DCI’s Serious Crimes Unit, has ordered both officials to report to the DCI headquarters along Kiambu Road for questioning.

Obuya is scheduled to appear on Thursday, October 2, while Patel will face investigators the following day.

The criminal investigation comes at a time when Cricket Kenya is embroiled in a bitter governance dispute that has attracted the attention of the International Cricket Council, which has reportedly placed Kenya on a high-risk watch list amid fears of possible suspension from international cricket.

The DCI probe appears to stem from a damning finance committee report dated May 19, 2025, which exposed serious financial irregularities within the cricket body. The report revealed that Cricket Kenya had opened a bank account with Prime Bank on April 27, 2022, which was never declared in the organisation’s financial statements.

Most troubling was the discovery that cheque books and other accountable documents for the undeclared account were kept personally by Chairman Patel, a clear violation of Cricket Kenya’s financial policies.

The finance committee found that this arrangement contravened Finance Policy 9.9, which requires all cheque books to be kept securely in a safe by the Chief Finance Officer.

The committee was unable to secure board minutes authorising the account’s opening, and Cricket Kenya’s secretariat failed to provide payment vouchers, receipts, or invoices to justify transactions totalling Sh11.9 million between June and December 2024.

The criminal investigation has added another layer of complexity to the ongoing governance crisis at Cricket Kenya, where a majority of board members have been locked in a power struggle with Patel and Obuya. The majority faction, comprising six directors, unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in Obuya during a Wednesday meeting, citing abuse of office, failure to discharge constitutional duties, mismanagement of resources, and bringing the sport into disrepute.

The board had previously moved against Patel in June, stripping him of all executive authority. In an ironic twist, Obuya had initially supported Patel’s ouster but has since allied himself with the embattled chairman in their ongoing standoff with the majority faction.

The majority board members present during Wednesday’s meeting included Pearlyne Omamo (Director of Women’s Cricket), Thomas Odoyo (Director of Development), and board members Tariq Iqbal, Beryl Oyugi, Mary Maina, and Pauline Njeru. Chief Executive Officer Ronald Bukusi was also in attendance.

Following the vote of no confidence, the board moved to block both Patel and Obuya from accessing Cricket Kenya’s bank accounts. They directed the Secretary to communicate these resolutions to the bank and ensure compliance, effectively freezing the duo out of the federation’s financial operations.

Despite being ousted, Patel and Obuya attempted to maintain their grip on power by convening what they termed a Special General Meeting last Sunday. However, the majority faction dismissed this gathering as unconstitutional, declaring its resolutions null and void, particularly after the Sports Registrar had confirmed the postponement of the meeting.

The majority board has scheduled a lawful Special General Meeting for October 19, with the sole agenda of electing a new vice Chairman. They are also working to reassert authority and streamline operations to prevent a possible suspension by the ICC.

The international governing body’s concerns have been heightened by the ongoing governance wrangles, with sources indicating that Kenya is currently in breach of ICC membership criteria. Should the situation deteriorate further, Kenya faces the prospect of suspension, which would freeze international funding and lock the country out of ICC-sanctioned tournaments worldwide.

In their efforts to restore order, the majority board recently terminated contracts with a sports promotion firm based in Dubai and India, citing severe reputational damage and grave breaches of governance, including attempts to improperly influence board members through financial inducements and external pressure.

The DCI has warned both Patel and Obuya against failing to honour the summons, stating that non-compliance constitutes an offense liable to prosecution under Section 52(2) of the National Police Service Act No. 11A of 2011.

As the criminal investigation unfolds, Kenya’s cricket community finds itself at a crossroads, with the sport’s future hanging in the balance amid the governance crisis that has plagued the federation for months. The ICC is expected to send a representative to meet Sports Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya as stakeholders scramble to find a solution to the crisis that threatens to derail cricket development in the country.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​