A new twist has emerged in the ongoing investigation into alleged fraud and compliance issues at Safaricom PLC, with accusations that individuals associated with Oxygène Marketing Communications Limited (Oxygène MCL) and The Star Kenya have been interfering in the probe.
According to reports by Kagirison Research, these individuals have allegedly attempted to obstruct the investigation by pressuring media outlets to remove stories related to the fraud allegations from their websites.
The allegations against Safaricom, one of Kenya’s largest telecommunications companies, first surfaced in December 2024.
Kagirison Research has since published several reports detailing claims of supply chain fraud, bid rigging, and a politicized workplace within the company.
The most recent report, titled Ndegwa, Rigathi, and Fraud in Safaricom Group, suggests that certain individuals close to influential political figures have benefited from preferential tender awards.
However, the investigation has faced significant challenges, with Kagirison Research now alleging that individuals from Oxygène MCL and The Star Kenya have been working to undermine the process.
According to the research firm, these individuals have contacted them under questionable circumstances, attempting to gain insight into the investigation and, in some cases, pressuring popular websites to take down stories related to the Safaricom fraud allegations.
“We have evidence that suggests these individuals, sometimes with or without the knowledge of their employers, have been acting on behalf of Safaricom employees or associated companies mentioned in our reports,” said a contact for Kagirison Research.
“Their actions have included attempts to obfuscate the truth and interfere with the publication of critical information.”
“After the publication of the post, Kagirison Research was contacted by persons who tried to use obfuscation, obtuse requests, and/or baiting into hazard in order to gain unrestricted access to restricted content, or have one or more of the aforementioned publications be depublished. The website was also subjected to attacks including negative SEO attacks whose impact have been blunted by social media presence that this website maintains.” It adds on their website.
Media outlets that have published stories on the Safaricom fraud allegations have reported receiving pressure to remove the content. Some claim they were threatened with legal action or other consequences if they didn’t comply, while others have been reportedly bribed to remove the stories.
The accusations also come at a critical juncture when Safaricom has been accused of bullying the media and undermining press freedom in response to SLAPPS suits against the Nation Media Group (NMG).
The bully telecommunications company pulled out advertisements after being exposed by the publication for allegedly running a wide-ranging surveillance program on Kenyans in collaboration with the authorities.
This incident occurred during the height of alleged state-sponsored abductions, where the Vodafone-affiliated company has been accused of allegedly aiding the perpetrators in tracking and abducting victims, sometimes resulting in their deaths.
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