Kisii whistleblower who exposed NGAAF funds scam brutally attacked months after abduction

It’s been over a decade since the Whistleblower Protection Bill was first drafted. Yet, it remains untouched gathering dust on the shelves of Parliament. Meanwhile, those who expose corruption continue to pay a heavy price.

Justin Siocha, a youth activist in Kisii County, is the latest victim. On Tuesday night, he was brutally attacked while walking home, just 10 months after surviving an abduction.

“Ghafla niliskia mlango wa gari langu ikigongwa, kujaribu kuangalia nikapata ni mtu mkubwa na panga ameanza kugonga kioo cha mlango wangu wa gari. Hiyo panga ikaingia ikanikata kwa mkono wangu, wakati naenda kulala sehemu watoto wangu na bibi yangu walikuwa panga ingine ikanifikia ikanikata,” Siocha narrated.

His story is not isolated. It’s part of a disturbing pattern. David Munyakei, the man who blew the whistle on the Goldenberg scandal in the 1990s, died in poverty.

Jacob Juma, who exposed the NYS and Eurobond scandals, was gunned down in cold blood.

Abraham Mutai, a blogger, was arrested for exposing corruption in Isiolo County.

Spencer Sankale, the Mara University whistleblower, was dismissed and dragged through court until a judge ruled his termination was meant to silence him.

Douglas Muchela, a chef at Mukumu Girls’ High School, was fired for speaking out about food poisoning.

These are not just names. They are warnings; warnings that create barriers to whistleblowing in Kenya.

Despite the gravity of these risks, Kenya still lacks a comprehensive legal framework to protect whistleblowers.

Instead, fragmented clauses are scattered across multiple laws from the Leadership and Integrity Act of 2012 to the Witness Protection Act of 2006.

"Kumng’atua aliyekuwa naibu rais Rigathi Gachagua ilifanyika kwa wiki moja, ilhali mswada wa wafichua maovu imechukua miaka kumi?" Lawyer Lempaa Suiyanka posed.

In 2014, the Office of the Attorney-General and Department of Justice, alongside civil society, drafted a Whistleblower Protection Bill.

But delays in Cabinet approval stalled its progress. Two MPs, Irene Kasalu and Muriuki Njagagua, have since tabled similar bills. Yet, none have been debated. Twelve years. No action.

As Parliament continues to stall, the message to whistleblowers is clear: speak out, and you may be silenced. The question remains how many more voices must be lost before Kenya protects those who protect the truth?