MPs Summon KEBS Boss Over Sh420 Million Scandal as Whistleblowers Expose Forgery, Contaminated Imports

The National Assembly’s Trade Committee has issued a formal summons to Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Esther Ngari after she snubbed a second parliamentary hearing into allegations of a Sh420 million fraud scheme, document forgery, and the approval of contaminated food imports.

The committee’s resolution on Monday followed Ngari’s unexplained no-show, despite her written commitment to appear on April 7 after skipping an earlier March 27 session. Lawmakers decried her absence as “contempt of Parliament” and hinted at political protection for senior KEBS officials implicated in the widening scandal.

“Her failure to appear—without even a courtesy communication—speaks volumes. Kenyans deserve answers on whether their food is safe and how public funds vanished,” said committee chair Bernard Shinali (Ikolomani). Vice Chair Marianne Kitany added: “KEBS’s mandate is sacred. If the MD won’t account, who will?”

The Whistleblower Bombshell

The summon by MPs comes amid a damning open letter seen by Kenya Insights from KEBS finance staff to President William Ruto, titled “Mega Corruption at KEBS,” which alleges systemic embezzlement, forged documents, and regulatory negligence under Ngari’s leadership.

The letter, copied to the EACC, DCI, and NIS, details 11 explosive claims:

1. Sh20.8M Travel Impost Fraud: Senior officials, including Ngari, allegedly falsified a July 2024 memo to inflate an imprest from Sh626,800 to Sh1.9 million for a phantom “insurance risk assessment” trip.

2. Sh57M ‘Ghost’ Security Contract: Payments to BSK Global Technologies for a non-functional security system, plus Sh8.6 million annual maintenance fees.

3. Contaminated Rice Imports: KEBS issued its Diamond Mark of Quality to Gama Foods Traders for Pakistani rice lacking conformity certificates or lab tests—mirroring a 2022 scandal where Sh200 million worth of unsafe rice entered Kenya.

4. Fertilizer Scandal: KEBS allegedly permitted Maisha Minerals to sell substandard fertilizer using expired permits, shielded by “powerful political figures.”

5. Sh30M Law Firm Payouts: Nyaanga & Mugisha Advocates received millions without evidence of services rendered.

National Security at Risk

The whistleblowers also revealed a June 2023 malware attack by an ICT staffer that crippled KEBS systems, including payroll and email, costing Sh10 million to restore. Despite the breach, the employee was transferred—not fired.

The committee has expanded its summons to include Trade CS Lee Kinyanjui and PS Juma Mukhwana, vowing to “unmask all conspirators.”

“Kenya won’t be a dumping ground for unsafe goods,” Shinali declared. “No political ties will stop this probe.”