KEPROBA CEO Floice Mukabana on the spot over alleged per diem extortion, inflated flight costs

Staff petition EACC, DCI and government officials, demanding forensic investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of office at the export agency

The Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA), Floice Mukabana, is facing serious allegations of administrative extortion, procurement irregularities and abuse of official travel clearance procedures.

A group of agency employees has reportedly petitioned the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and other government offices, calling for an independent investigation into what they describe as alleged financial impropriety and abuse of administrative authority at the state agency.

In a whistleblower petition dated June 1, 2026, the staff accuse the agency’s leadership of presiding over an alleged scheme in which officers are pressured to surrender portions of their Daily Subsistence Allowances (DSAs), commonly known as per diems.

According to the employees, who requested anonymity for fear of possible victimisation, some officers are allegedly required to return a percentage of their allowances in cash as a condition for securing travel approvals or extended stays on lucrative foreign assignments.

“The allegations are that officers are being compelled to surrender part of their per diems after securing international assignments,” the staff claim in their petition.

The whistleblowers further allege that internal travel approvals have been tied to the CEO’s personal travel clearance from the Head of Public Service (HOPS).

They claim that technical officers are sometimes denied approval to travel until Mukabana receives her own clearance.

In what they describe as retaliatory administrative decisions, the employees allege that delays or denial of the CEO’s travel clearance have, in certain instances, resulted in technical teams being grounded, disrupting official assignments.

“The entire technical team ends up being grounded when the CEO’s own travel clearance is delayed or denied,” the petition alleges.

The staff further claim that the alleged delays have created a procurement crisis, forcing the agency to purchase international airline tickets at the last minute at significantly higher prices.

They argue that such procurement practices expose KEPROBA to unnecessary expenditure and could result in substantial losses to public funds.

The whistleblowers have specifically cited Kenya’s participation in Expo 2025 Osaka in Japan and the 2025 Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair as events requiring scrutiny over alleged procurement and financial irregularities.

The 14-page petition also raises broader concerns over alleged financial fraud, irregular procurement, manipulation of budget allocations, board interference, human resource violations and what the complainants describe as a culture of intimidation within the agency.

The employees are now demanding an unrestricted forensic audit of the agency’s financial and procurement records, as well as investigations into the conduct of the CEO and senior management.

Among those addressed in the petition are EACC Chairperson Bishop Dr David Oginde, EACC Chief Executive Officer Abdi Mohamed Ahmed, Clerk of the Senate Jeremiah M. Nyegenye and officials of the Senate Standing Committee on Trade, Industrialisation and Tourism.

The complainants want the relevant investigative Agencies to establish whether public resources were improperly handled and whether any individuals should face criminal prosecution. 

They also want prosecution of Finance Director-Celestine Rono, Marketing Director-Maureen Mambo

Procurement Manager – Dominic Ariro, Finance Manager – Albanus Mumo investigated.

Francis Kiragu who is also in the Finance Office is reportedly the errand boy for sourcing fake receipts from River Road for Floice Mukabana.

The Minister for Trade, Hon. Lee Kinyanjui is being requested to send the CEO-Floice Mukabana on Compulsory Leave to allow for free and fair Investigations. 

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