Former KeRRA DG Kandie Arrested in Night Raid by EACC

Former Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA) Director General Philemon Kandie was on Friday night arrested in a dramatic raid at his Nairobi home by officers from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).

The anti-graft officials swooped in on Kandie’s residence on October 3, confiscating electronic devices, documents, and other materials before escorting him to Integrity Centre for interrogation.

Sources indicated that investigators are probing allegations of graft and financial impropriety linked to his tenure at the helm of KeRRA.

While the EACC has not issued an official statement on the specific charges, Kandie’s arrest follows weeks of speculation about possible investigations into his management of the multi-billion-shilling roads agency.

Kandie, who resigned from KeRRA in July—two years before his term was due to end—has faced mounting scrutiny.

His abrupt exit, announced by KeRRA on July 11, came amid a High Court petition seeking his removal on claims that he diverted public funds to finance the violent June 25 nationwide protests.

The petition accused the former DG of allegedly channeling money through shell contractors linked to KeRRA to bankroll logistics for groups behind the unrest, allegations he has consistently denied.

In his resignation letter, Kandie said he was proceeding on annual leave before officially leaving office on October 10, but his sudden departure triggered speculation of deeper troubles.

He has since been replaced in an acting capacity by Jackson Magondu, the authority’s Director of Planning, Design and Environment.

EACC officials are expected to grill Kandie over procurement accounts and financial trails flagged in past audits, with investigators saying the evidence collected in the raid will be key to determining whether charges will be filed.

Kandie, a career engineer and holder of the Moran of the Order of the Burning Spear (MBS), is now the latest senior public official to be caught up in anti-graft investigations that have rocked key government agencies in recent months.