In a development that is threatening to cast a shadow over the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), candidate Leonard Njeru Muriuki, popularly known as Leo wa Muthende, it has now been revealed that the ruling party choice is under intense scrutiny by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) for his role in a controversial oxygen-plant contract awarded to his firm.
The scandal has stirred fresh debates about political favoritism and accountability despite dark and dirty pasts of most politicians, and especially since President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki have publicly come out to support his bid for the Mbeere North parliamentary seat.
The seat fell vacant after the former MP, Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku was elevated and appointed the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes.
The seat was then declared vacant and what was expected to be a normal by-election is slowly turning out to be a showdown between the government and the opposition.
Leo wa Muthende of UDA faces Newton Kariuki of the DP Party (a party led by Justin Bedan Muturi, a former ally of Ruto now turned foe), and Duncan Mbui of the CCK Party in the by-election scheduled for next Thursday, 27th November 2025.
The government has unleashed its machinery led by DP Kindiki to campaign for Muthende, while the opposition has seen former DP Rigathi Gachagua team up with Justin Muturi to campaign for their own, Newton Kariuki aka Karish.
The government has attacked the opposition with all it has selling their candidate but that is all about to change with the corruption scam dogging Leo wa Muthende.
The oxygen plant tender in question
Muriuki’s company, Biomax Africa Limited, was awarded a Sh 433 million contract in 2022 by the Ministry of Health to build an oxygen generating plant for Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
On the face of it, all technical checks had been cleared; a pre-shipment inspection in France confirmed that the plant met specifications.
But when the plant was installed, it delivered only 2,800 LPM instead of the promised 8,000 LPM, making it grossly inadequate for KNH’s needs. As a result, the hospital was compelled to continue buying oxygen externally — spending over Sh 168 million between July 2023 and February 2024.
That in essence literally means having the plant installed, was as good as none installed at all.
Costly Failures Hidden in the Fine Print
The financial toll of the plant’s underperformance went beyond oxygen purchases.
KNH also incurred Sh 100 million for a transformer and generator — equipment that was originally supposed to be supplied by Biomax.
But the troubles didn’t stop there: operating inefficiencies spiked, and electricity costs more than doubled, allegedly increasing the hospital’s annual power bill by Sh 500 million.
The EACC has flagged serious procurement lapses with this tender and they frankly feel Muthende should be behind bars.
According to its report, Biomax submitted allegedly fabricated documentation to win the tender. The anti-corruption watchdog also criticized the Ministry of Health’s evaluation committee — led at the time by Principal Secretary Susan Mochache — for failing to conduct proper due diligence.
At the time Mochache was enduring battering from all corners of Kenya since it was at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Things did not get easy for her after a consignment of a donation of Covid-19 supplies went missing at a time Kenyans were dying with KEMSA officials pointing fingers at her for the missing aid.
Meanwhile, attempts by the KNH Board to raise red flags in late 2024 were reportedly shut down by the hospital’s CEO, Evanson Kamuri, who denied their right to probe procurement contracts.
Political Rise Despite the Storm
Despite these serious allegations, Muriuki’s political stock remains high.
UDA endorsed him as its candidate for the Mbeere North by-election, scheduled for November 27, 2025. Deputy President Kindiki has aggressively led campaign efforts for Muriuki, promising that his election would strengthen the government’s development agenda in the area.
But many will wonder if the President and his Deputy were aware of Muthende’s issues with EACC and the oxygen plant scam, or not. And if they knew, did they ignore that part intentionally?
Analysts view the by-election as a litmus test for UDA’s grip on the Mount Kenya region, with Kindiki warning that electing someone opposed to the government could stall key development projects.
Meanwhile, the EACC has not only documented procurement irregularities — it is reportedly calling for Muriuki’s arrest.
According to The Standard, documents from the anti-graft body link him to a Sh 643 million oxygen plant scam, raising the stakes even higher.
Critics argue that the procurement saga exposes deeper governance issues in Kenya — not just a botched project, but a pattern of rewarding politically connected individuals with lucrative state contracts.
The key question now is whether someone facing such serious corruption allegations should be rewarded with political power. Kenyans will therefore be watching with baited breath on what the people of Mbeere North will decide.
