The Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA) CEO, Floice Mukabana, has thrown former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria under the bus, as new details emerge on how Kshs 2.2 billion was mishandled during his tenure at the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investments.
According to the reports verified by Mambo Mseto, in 2022, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) received a controversial order from Kuria’s office to transfer the hefty sum to KEPROBA, a move that has since sparked outrage and scrutiny.
Former CS Moses Kuria during a past meeting
By then, Kuria, the former Gatundu South MP, had stated that the funds were meant to bolster Kenya’s export capabilities and reduce reliance on imports.
However, the directive raised eyebrows because KEPROBA already receives annual budget allocations from the National Treasury, making the additional funds seem unnecessary and suspicious.
The situation at KEBS quickly escalated as the agency’s leadership struggled to comply with the directive without compromising its operations.
Internal documents reveal that KEBS ‘ National Standards Council convened a special meeting on November 4, 2022, to address the financial strain the order would impose.
Former Trade CS Moses Kuria speaks to the media during a seminar in Nairobi
Despite KEBS ‘ already tight budget, the Board partially yielded to Kuria’s demands, offering Sh1.2 billion—down from the initially requested Sh2.2 billion.
However, the arrangement quickly unraveled. KEPROBA did not receive the funds directly from KEBS , as the Board decided to route the money through the National Treasury instead.
CEO Mukabana later confirmed that KEPROBA did not receive any funds from KEBS for the export promotion strategy, raising further questions about the deal’s legitimacy and the whereabouts of the money.
KEPROBA CEO Hon Florence Mukabana
The scandal has left Kuria in a precarious position, with calls for accountability growing louder.
The financial chaos at KEBS , exacerbated by this questionable transaction, has put the former CS under intense scrutiny, as the public demands answers about the lost billions and the true intentions behind the controversial order.
