Mary Wambui Mungai, a prominent Kenyan businesswoman and influential political figure, has been named in a latest financial leak exposing high-profile property investments of Kenyans in Dubai.
According to blogger Cyprian Nyakundi, Wambui purchased two off-plan plots in Al Yufrah 3, Dubai, valued at $817,060 (Ksh 105.4 million) on April 7, 2016.
Al Yufrah 3, known for its green spaces and self-sustaining infrastructure, offers luxury and exclusivity.
However, questions have emerged about the source of Wambui’s wealth, given her extensive but opaque political connections and involvement in government dealings.
Businesswoman Mary Wambui during a past UDA party media presser. Photo: The Star Source: Facebook
Wambui currently serves as the chairperson of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), a position she assumed in 2022. She has also served on the board of Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
Despite her public roles, Wambui has faced growing scrutiny over how she financed these high-value property acquisitions abroad.
Her companies—Purma Holdings Limited and Enterprise Supplies Limited—are at the center of multiple corruption investigations. Both firms, fully owned by Wambui, secured lucrative government tenders to supply rice, beans, and cooking oil to the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC).
An audit report found that more than Ksh 15.72 billion related to these tenders is unaccounted for, raising suspicions of fraud.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) are actively investigating the irregularities surrounding these tenders.
Wambui’s growing influence and her ability to secure government contracts, combined with her unexplained property investments in Dubai, have drawn public attention and criticism.
The Dubai leak further fuels concerns about corruption and the unchecked financial dealings of Kenya’s elite, especially those with close ties to state institutions.
This revelation puts pressure on authorities to investigate the origins of Wambui’s wealth, as questions mount about whether public funds were misused for private enrichment abroad.
That notwithstanding, in the run-up to the 2022 general election, Mary Wambui faced serious allegations of corruption linked to government tenders and irregularities at Kenyatta National Hospital.
Additionally, she was investigated for tax evasion. However, following President William Ruto’s victory, the charges were dropped, and she was appointed chairperson of the Communications Authority.
