MPs have demanded tougher action against rogue auctioneers accused of using goons and excessive force to seize property, warning that weak enforcement is leaving Kenyans exposed to intimidation, abuse, and financial losses.
The concerns emerged on Wednesday when the National Assembly Public Investments Committee on Governance and Education questioned the Auctioneers Licensing Board (ALB) on its regulation of the sector while scrutinising Auditor-General reports covering the 2018/19 to 2024/25 financial years.
The committee, chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu, pressed the board to explain the measures it was taking against unlicensed and rogue auctioneers, particularly those accused of enlisting gangs to carry out their assignments.
Maungu said the presence of rogue practitioners was damaging the reputation of legitimate auctioneers and undermining public confidence in the profession.
Auctioneers seize property during a past raid in Kenya.
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“You will agree with me that we have quack lawyers, so you also have quack auctioneers,” Maungu told the board.
The MPs also questioned the manner in which some auctioneers execute warrants, particularly allegations that they bring unauthorised individuals to intimidate or overpower people whose property is being seized.
The committee said that the enforcement of court orders and the recovery of debts should be carried out within the law and should not become an avenue for harassment, intimidation, or violence against members of the public.
ALB Chief Executive Officer Festus Terer said the regulator had engaged the police leadership to ensure that auctioneers use lawful security measures rather than private gangs.
Terer told the committee that he met Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja in May, accompanied by board members, to discuss challenges facing the profession.
“We want auctioneers to use police, not goons,” Terer said, adding that the engagement with the police was part of efforts to restore order in the sector.
Central Imenti MP Moses Kirima, however, said disciplinary action against rogue auctioneers was not enough to protect Kenyans who suffer losses during the process.
He called for a mechanism to ensure victims can obtain compensation when their property or money is mishandled.
ALB CEO said the board had intensified inspections of auctioneers, citing a June exercise that exposed practitioners operating without proper offices and other compliance gaps.
He also said the board’s ability to compensate victims was limited by the Auctioneers Act, with Section 24 restricting the circumstances under which compensation can be ordered.
Vehicles at the KENHA Auction centre in Nairobi.
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