Two top executives at the Tanathi Water Works Development Agency have been forced to drop the prestigious title “Engineer” after a regulatory crackdown revealed they had used it illegally for years, triggering a court battle and widespread public backlash.
Mr. Fidelis Kimanthi Kyengo, the outgoing Acting CEO, and Mr. Francis Kyalo Siva, the General Manager for Infrastructure Development, are at the centre of a storm after the Engineers Board of Kenya (EBK) flagged them for posing as licensed engineers without the necessary credentials.
Screenshots: Before and After
Before the EBK intervention, Channel 15 News obtained screenshots from the official Tanathi website where both men appeared with the title “Eng.” on official profiles and agency correspondence. Following the exposure, they have quietly dropped the title from public communications, complying with EBK’s directive.
“They removed the title only after they were caught. This raises serious questions about intent and long-term misrepresentation,” said a senior regulatory source familiar with the matter.
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Engineers Board Flags Violation of the Law
In a letter dated June 27, 2025, EBK Chief Executive Eng. Margaret Ogai confirmed that while both Kyengo and Siva are registered graduate engineers, neither is licensed as a professional engineer — a mandatory legal requirement for holding senior management roles in public infrastructure agencies.
Under the Engineers Act, impersonating a professional or consulting engineer is a criminal offence, attracting a fine of up to KSh 2 million, a prison term of up to five years, or both.
Court Battle as Whistleblower Moves to Stop CEO Appointment
Amid the integrity storm, whistleblower Timothy Isuza moved to court, filing a petition at the Kitui Chief Magistrate’s Court, opposing Siva’s shortlisting for the CEO position.
On August 1, 2025, Chief Magistrate David Mburu issued ex parte orders suspending the entire recruitment process, citing serious constitutional concerns and potential illegality in the shortlist. The court ruled:
“The recruitment of the shortlisted candidates is hereby suspended pending the hearing and determination of this application.”
The application was certified as urgent, and the matter is now set for mention tomorrow, Wednesday, August 7, 2025, at the Kitui Law Courts.
Channel 15 News has reviewed the petition, which claims that the CEO recruitment was “a sham, orchestrated to favour insiders, particularly Mr. Siva,” whose integrity and qualifications are in question.
Mounting Pressure on Tanathi Board and Water Ministry
Tanathi serves Kitui, Makueni, Machakos, and Kajiado counties, overseeing major donor and government-funded water infrastructure. With both its top officials now exposed and the court stepping in, pressure is mounting on the Board of Directors and the Ministry of Water and Sanitation to explain how unqualified individuals were allowed to hold such high-stakes roles for years.
There are renewed calls for:
A forensic audit of all projects signed off under Kyengo and Siva’s leadership;
Disciplinary action against the Tanathi Board for negligence or complicity;
And criminal accountability where laws were breached.
Legal experts warn that the court proceedings on August 7 could be a turning point not just for Tanathi, but for public service recruitment standards across Kenya.
