Saboti Member of Parliament (MP) Caleb Amisi is now embroiled in a legal dispute with Kenyan diplomat Josphat Machogu over an alleged failure to repay borrowed funds. According to a petition filed by Machogu, Amisi borrowed ‘soft loans’ amounting to KSh7.9 million during the pre-election period and has yet to repay the funds.
Machogu, represented by his lawyer Daniel Achach, claims that he met Amisi in June 2021 during an official visit by a group of MPs to IGAD offices in Djibouti. The two exchanged contacts and subsequently formed a close friendship.
In January 2022, months before the August general elections, Amisi reportedly approached Machogu for financial assistance. Machogu transferred KSh500,000 to Amisi’s account on January 6, 2022. In April, Amisi requested additional funds, this time USD 50,000 (KSh6.6 million).
Saboti MP caleb Amisi
Amisi allegedly stated that the funds were needed to support his campaign to reclaim the Saboti parliamentary seat, claiming that the donations he had received were insufficient to cover the campaign period. Even after winning the elections in August, Amisi reportedly reached out to Machogu again, requesting additional funds to settle some bills. He received an additional USD 10,300 (KSh1.3 million).
Machogu, now furious, allegedly threatened Amisi with legal action and received a payment of KSh500,000. He is now seeking court intervention to compel Amisi to repay the remaining KSh7.9 million.
“The plaintiff prays for judgment against the Defendant for USD 60,300.00 and interest at court rates from the date of filing this suit until payment in full,” read the court papers.
Amisi, confident of his election victory, had promised to repay the money in one instalment. However, Machogu had offered him a repayment plan should he lose the seat. “In the alternative, the Defendant expressed to the Plaintiff that should he not win in the elections, he would give the Plaintiff a payment proposal that would be acceptable, but the Defendant was almost very sure of a win with the Plaintiffs soft loan,” reads the court papers.
