UDA Candidate Rocked by $3.2 Million Oxygen Plant Scandal Ahead of Mbeere North Showdown
The Mbeere North by-election on November 27th has been dramatically hijacked by a devastating political scandal, placing the spotlight squarely on the integrity of the ruling party’s candidate. Leo wa Muthende Njeru, the nominee for the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), is facing intense public and political scrutiny over his past directorship role at Biomax Africa Limited. This company secured a staggering Sh433 million ($3.2 million) tender in 2021 to construct a vital medical oxygen plant at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH), a project meant to save lives at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, this critical project remains notoriously unfinished. The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has confirmed that the deal is mired in serious irregularities, including the use of falsified documents. The fallout has cost the Kenyan taxpayer dearly and highlights the egregious failings within the national healthcare procurement system. While Muthende has not yet faced personal criminal charges, his direct association with the disgraced firm has provided powerful ammunition to the opposition and galvanized a strong public reaction against the UDA’s choice.
Further fueling the controversy is the revelation that the UDA candidate, formerly known as Leonard Muriuki, legally changed his name to Leo wa Muthende Njeru in September—right in the middle of the EACC’s widening probe. In the current cutthroat political climate, this move is being interpreted by critics not as a simple administrative change, but as a deliberate attempt to distance himself from the looming shadow of the KNH scandal. The timing and context have placed a massive burden on the candidate’s campaign, forcing the Mbeere North race to pivot from policy and promises to the fundamental issue of political integrity.
The backlash has been swift and severe. Social media platform X (formerly Twitter) is awash with condemnation, with users widely decrying the ruling party’s apparent tolerance for candidates linked to corruption and passionately urging Mbeere North voters to reject Muthende at the ballot box. This grassroots outrage serves as a powerful reminder that the Kenyan electorate is increasingly tired of graft, particularly in the sensitive health sector. The scandal comes at a critical juncture for the UDA, whose candidate faces a highly competitive challenge from the opposition’s Newton Karish. In a competitive landscape like Embu County, where local politics are fiercely contested, the integrity issue could be the decisive factor that swings the crucial by-election and sends a loud message back to the ruling establishment.
