Mizani Africa: 6-Month Old Firm With 2 Employees That Ranked MPs

Early this week, an alleged nationwide survey conducted by little known research firm Mizani Africa sought to rank MPs depending on their management of National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF).

Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro was ranked the best, with Uriri MP Mark Nyamita and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir, taking the second and third positions respectively.

The ranking sparked a public debate that ended in parliament which questioned the credibility of Mizani Africa and the awards thereof.

Documents in our possession show that the firm was registered on June 14, 2019, as an online marketing company and not a research firm. The firm belongs to Haron Muthomi Kiriba.

Read: How Former Imperial Bank CEO Looted Billions Before Lender Collapsed

Unconfirmed reports indicate that the firm had only two employees, and has been dealing with cryptocurrency in the last six months.

Kiriba is the owner of Wiseman Talent Ventures, a cryptocurrency firm which was in 2019 embroiled in a court battle against the Capital Markets Authority (CMA).

AT that time, the Standard reported that between April and August 2018, the company offered to sell digital coins dubbed Kenicoin at Ksh100 each whose prices gained to Ksh400 over the five months. To have more people buy digital investment, the company promised 10 per cent monthly gains.

Further, the firm cooked figures of the number of people buying their product to show that 27,768 people had raised Ksh535 million while in reality, only 2,000 people had raised Ksh2 million.

Read: KRA To Start Collecting Revenue In Nairobi After Power Deal

When CMA summoned Kiriba and questioned him, they changed the figures on their website.

Judge M.W Mwangi, in a ruling dated 27th September, 2019, the court ruled that CMA can proceed with investigations/inquiry on operations of Kenicoin. This is pending the legislative process on publication of appropriate framework for the regulation of initial coin offering (ICO).

In his ruling, Judge Mwangi said Wiseman Talent Ventures failed to establish a prima facie case, the damage, injury, loss of damage occasioned by CMA’s temporary injunction against the firm, will not be adequately compensated by damages.

For all the latest technology and business news from Kenya and the world, follow us on Twitter and like us on Facebook.