Members of Parliament have called on the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Judiciary to launch investigations into suspected financial mismanagement in the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme.
This directive came from the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation (CII), chaired by Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie.
The order followed a parliamentary session held on Tuesday at Parliament Buildings, during which the committee examined a petition submitted by aggrieved KBC pensioners.
The former employees, who are now retirees, raised serious concerns over the failure by KBC to remit staff pension deductions totaling a staggering Ksh3.27 billion.
They also highlighted a controversial legal fee claim of Ksh1.4 billion, which they believe is exaggerated and possibly fraudulent.
During the session, committee members reportedly voiced their disappointment and alarm over the prolonged delays in remitting pension contributions, describing the legal fees involved in the recovery process as “grossly inflated” and suspect.
Martin Nyongesa, the chairperson of the pension scheme, informed the committee that as early as 2018, KBC had already defaulted on pension deductions amounting to Ksh750 million.
This unpaid amount has since grown significantly due to the accumulation of interest, prompting the Retirement Benefits Authority (RBA) to seek court intervention.
The matter is now part of a court-led liquidation process, with the next hearing scheduled for September 25, 2025.
In addition, MPs raised questions about a claim made by advocate Morara Omoke, who is demanding a massive Ksh1.4 billion in legal fees for allegedly helping recover Ksh18 billion for the pension scheme.
However, Nyongesa dismissed this claim, stating there was no official board approval for Omoke’s legal engagement and cast doubt on the legitimacy of the recovery, noting that “KBC itself is not even worth Ksh18 billion.”
The parliamentary committee strongly condemned the entire situation, describing it as a blatant case of exploitation of retired workers. They vowed to fight for justice and ensure the pensioners receive what is rightfully owed to them.
This controversy comes months after KBC employees sounded the alarm in December last year over delayed salaries. Workers at the government-owned media house complained about missing two months’ worth of pay, which left many financially strained during the crucial Christmas holiday season.
The delay was particularly frustrating since management had promised to clear the arrears in an internal memo. However, by the end of the year, it seemed the employer was preparing to go back on that commitment, further eroding the trust of the already demoralized staff.
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