Properties linked to former Murang’a Governor Mwangi wa Iria are scheduled to be auctioned later this month after he allegedly failed to repay an undisclosed loan, adding to his growing legal challenges as he also faces a Sh542.6 million corruption case.
A public notice issued by Dalali Traders Auctioneers indicates that his luxury home in Karen, Nairobi, and Edinburgh Mountain Hospital in Murang’a will be auctioned on August 25.
The planned auction comes less than two years after President William Ruto appointed Wa Iria as Chairperson of the Board of the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA).
According to the auction notice, Edinburgh Mountain Hospital sits on a 2.96-acre parcel of land in Milimani, Kiharu, Murang’a County, near Murang’a University and Edinburgh Medical College. The hospital is wholly owned by Wa Iria through Edinburgh Mountain Hospital Limited.
The property features a five-storey hospital building along with recreational facilities.
The Karen property, located on a 0.48-acre plot along Muiri Lane, is registered in Wa Iria’s name and was used as collateral for a loan obtained by Edinburgh College Ltd and Edinburgh Mountain Hospital Ltd.
The three-storey residence was nearing completion and includes a guest house, parking area, and plans for a swimming pool, gazebo, and staff quarters.
Neither Wa Iria nor the auctioneers disclosed the identity of the lender or the value of the outstanding loan.
In addition to the loan dispute, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) has filed a civil suit seeking to recover Sh542.6 million, alleging that the funds were acquired through corruption and procurement irregularities during Wa Iria’s tenure as Murang’a governor. Wa Iria has denied the allegations, and the case remains before the courts.
Wa Iria is among several former senior public officials whose assets are under threat of auction or recovery by the state. Others include former Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu, former Migori Governor Okoth Obado, and former Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, who has also lost some of his properties in loan-related disputes.
