Francis Mburu is a master conman who was named in another Ksh30 billion scandal in Angola in 2009.
According to documents seen by kenyanbulletin.com, Mr. Mburu was involved in an infrastructure project worth United States Dollars (USD) 300 million for the “Agreement to build ninety thousand high-rise three bedroom low cost houses on a turnkey basis for the Angolan Government” entered between Global Infrastructure Limited and Harambee Gily (Proprietary) Limited signed in 2009.
An Angolan bank Banco Africano de Investimentos (currently Banco Angolano de Investimentos) arranged the financial facility to the tune of USD30 million for Global Infrastructure Limited calling to attention Francis Mburu and another a Mr. Joseph Kabeya, through a letter dated 26th March 2009.
“We, Banco BAI, hereby confirm that we are in the process of structuring credit line of some 300,000,000.00 (USD three hundred million) on behalf of our client (Southnet Angelo Limitada) for your compony to deliver a turn key project in accordance to agreement between yourselves. This proposed credit line will be made available to your company (Global infrastructure Limited) conditionally, only through your AA or AAA European acceptable bank by us for a period of thirty six months”, the letter began.
The money is said to have hit the accounts and soon thereafter Mburu went on to Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where he founded another firm Agriculture Syndicate Limited which he stated that he’ll use to develop the agricultural sector of that country.
“We hereby, way of respect come next to your highest personality and authority to introduce our organisation, AGRICULTURE SYNDICATE LIMITED, with sight to carry out, execute and manage a private multi-sector investment on agricultural irrigation development project of 100 km, from Lualaba river in Kolwezi to the Kasai river along the Zambia border to Dilolo”, the letter dated 5th November 2007 to the Minister of Plan of and In Kinshasa copied to the President of DRC, Prime Minister and other five top government ministers stated in part.
Mburu had disappeared with money and left his friends high and dry to this day.
A known scammer
In the Kenyan Ksh3.1 billion Ruaraka land scam where the govt lost money, Afrison Export and Import Ltd and Huelands Ltd director Francis Mburu swindled the government through the ministry of education then CS Fred Matiang’i to pay him for land the government owned.
‘govt bought land from itself and lost over 1.5 billion in the process’
How it happened
In January 2018, Mburu was paid Ksh1.5 billion by the Ministry of Education, through the National Land Commission, as compensation for the 13.5 acres parcel of land, on which Ruaraka Secondary and Drive Inn primary schools are built. He was also paid Ksh.600M for the 2 acres affected by the expansion of the Outering Road.
The problem is that the govt, in a deal that was flagged by Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) detectives discovered it had sold land to itself and compensated private entities. However, the beneficiaries in the end spanned private entities and government officials.
The money was quickly shared out to associates of Mr Mburu. First Ksh930 million was transferred to a bank account under the name Champions Kenya Limited headed by Mburu’s ally John Mutwiri for onward distribution to other companies and individuals within 20 days.
During the probe, Mburu admitted to own more than 50 companies.
Nairobi County Governor Mike Sonko while appearing before the Senate Committee probing the Ruaraka land saga, claimed it was public land and documents used by Mburu to seek compensation were fraudulent.
Despite open theft of public funds by crafty businessmen in the Ruaraka land scam, the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Boss Mr George Kinoti and the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji have remained right lipped about this saga.
Mr Francis Mburu is said to be well-connected.
It is through such revelations as carried in this article that one begins to understand where Mburu got money to purchase over 28 luxury cars that were found at two of his suburb homes.
Meanwhile, his friend in the Angolan low cost housing project is still crying foul.
Will he and other scammers ever be brought to justice?
