A legal battle is unfolding in Kenya as Kajiado North MP Onesmus Ngogoyo faces a lawsuit for branding public-funded infrastructure projects with his name, portrait, and political slogans. City lawyer Shadrack Wambui has filed a petition accusing the legislator of breaching the Leadership and Integrity Act by personalising government initiatives, thereby misleading the public and violating ethical standards.
Mr Wambui argues that the MP has consistently plastered his image and name across schools, roads, and other developments funded by the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF). In some instances, the projects were implemented before Mr Ngogoyo’s election, yet his portrait still dominates the signage. The lawyer described the MP’s conduct as unethical and politically opportunistic, accusing him of transforming state-funded infrastructure into campaign tools for self-promotion.
The court petition claims that the use of oversized personal branding on public project signage compromises the public’s right to objective, accurate information and replaces it with a narrative tailored for political gain. Mr Wambui believes this undermines public trust and distorts the true responsibilities of various government institutions.
He emphasised that such branding creates a dangerous misconception among citizens — that Members of Parliament are directly responsible for building public infrastructure, despite that being the work of implementing agencies like the Kenya Rural Roads Authority and Kenya Urban Roads Authority. He also criticised these agencies for failing to prevent the MP’s actions.
High Court judge Christine Meoli has instructed Mr Wambui to serve the MP with court papers and scheduled July 22 for a mention of the matter to determine the next course of action.
The petition also references a May 21, 2025, Senate report that condemned the widespread practice of personalising public projects. The Senate urged public officials to uphold ethical standards and called upon oversight bodies such as the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and the Controller of Budget to enforce accountability measures.
Among the specific locations cited in the lawsuit are Nkaimurunya High School, Kiserian Primary School, Arap Moi Primary School, Nkaimurunya ICT Centre (HUB), Bul Tosheka-ICT Hub Road, Ezekiel Mutel-Roimen AP Camp, and Entomoto Chief’s Camp. All of these projects, Mr Wambui claims, feature the MP’s name and photo in a manner that prioritises personal visibility over public interest.