By Our Investigative Reporter

The Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA), a parastatal set to merge with the Kenya Tourism Board, Ken Invest Authority, Kenya Year Book, and Tourism Research Institute due to overlapping roles, is now facing serious allegations of corruption and mismanagement under the leadership of CEO Floice Mukabana and her management team.

Insiders report a severe leadership crisis, with widespread dissatisfaction among staff regarding the level of mismanagement. They claim the board, chaired by Mr. Jas Bedi, appears compromised, with relatives of board members employed at KEPROBA, allegedly at the behest of Mukabana.

Concerned employees assert that the CEO has disregarded Public Service Commission employment guidelines, opting instead to reward her cronies with internal promotions to director positions without external advertisements, contrary to KEPROBA’s HR Manual. This is puzzling to staff, especially considering the impending merger.

Mukabana is accused of frequently traveling to collect per diem without performing her duties, and reportedly falsifying attendance sheets to deceive the board and the PS Trade, Alfred Mr. K’ombudho. She allegedly rewards her acting directors, including Celestine Rono, Austine Macheso, Fatma, Maureen Mambo, and Finance Manager Mumo, with director positions for covering her misconduct.

Moreover, adverse audit reports highlighting procurement irregularities have been ignored, with KEPROBA losing over 12 million shillings. The procurement manager, Dominic Ariro, who is allegedly involved in receiving kickbacks, has not been placed on compulsory leave for investigation. Similarly, the finance office is accused of abusing petty cash for personal use, with protection from Mukabana and her allies.

Staff demand an immediate halt to the recruitment process, calling for external advertisements for qualified technical officers and compulsory leave for the procurement manager to facilitate independent investigations.