Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang’ata is under a lot of criticism for his possible involvement in a scandal about compensation related to the 2019 Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET302 crash, which killed 157 people, including 32 Kenyans.
Recent investigations have revealed claims that Kang’ata helped add names of people who should not receive money to a settlement meant for the families of the victims.
According to NTV Kenya, two former workers from Kang’ata’s time as a senator have come forward with claims of a “big scandal” involving the governor.
These whistleblowers say Kang’ata sent the names of his staff to get compensation money that was actually meant for the families of the ET302 crash victims, which could mean that millions of dollars intended for grieving families were wrongly taken.
The accusations have caused a lot of anger online, with many calling his actions a shameful misuse of a national tragedy.
Flight ET302, a Boeing 737 MAX 8, crashed near Bishoftu, Ethiopia, on March 10, 2019, just six minutes after taking off from Addis Ababa on its way to Nairobi.
The crash led to a worldwide suspension of the aircraft model and resulted in a settlement with Boeing in 2021, which created a $500 million fund for crash victims. Each family of a victim was supposed to receive about $1.4 million.
However, the recent claims suggest that some of this money may have been wrongly given to people who weren’t eligible.
Kang’ata, who was a senator before becoming the governor, has not yet answered the accusations publicly.
These claims raise important questions about how the compensation process is managed and the honesty of the officials in charge of the funds.
The scandal has reopened wounds for the families of the victims, many of whom have been seeking fair treatment through groups like the Flight ET302 Families Foundation.
This foundation, which represents families from Kenya and other countries, has previously criticized quick memorial efforts and has called for more honesty in how crash-related matters are handled.
ET302 Compensation Scam
— NTV Kenya (@ntvkenya) May 7, 2025
Governor Kang'ata is on the spot over his role in the Ethiopian Airlines crash compensation case
Two of his former staff members at the Senate have come out with 'a big scandal implicating the governor'#ET302CONpensation
Watch: https://t.co/aGYnnJqpAZ pic.twitter.com/V55O2aZt3x
