A senior Kenya Forest Service (KFS) officer based in Kilifi County has been dragged into a growing scandal involving of extortion, money laundering and abuse of office, after documents seen by this publication linked her to a controversial Community Based Organisation (CBO) accused of operating like a “family cartel.”
The officer, identified as Lilian Kagonya, is the patron and behind-the-scenes influencer of the One Tree One Child CBO, a group currently facing internal revolt and multiple complaints by members and human rights activists. The CBO is reportedly headed by Velma Kagonya, who documents describe as Lilian’s daughter. She has been accused by disgruntled officials of unilateral takeover of the organisation, illegal removal of officials, misuse of members’ portraits and fundraising under disputed representation. In one strongly worded demand letter addressed to Velma Kagonya, the Western Human Rights Forum accuses her of conducting what it describes as a hostile takeover of the CBO’s communication platforms, including the official WhatsApp group, where officials were allegedly removed and replaced with her relatives. The letter further claims Velma imposed her younger brother as treasurer despite him being a student at the Technical University of Mombasa, and allegedly changed signatories of the organisation’s bank account without the required approval of members.An insider familiar with the CBO’s internal operations, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, told this publication, “This has been a family-run operation from the start. Decisions are made behind closed doors, and any official who questions them risks being removed or sidelined. The power dynamics here are unlike any other CBO I’ve seen.”The forum demanded immediate reinstatement of removed officials and members, an end to what it called unilateral actions, and a halt to alleged misuse of portraits and photographs of officials who say they no longer belong to the group. It also demanded compensation for what it described as illegal use of their images in banners, brochures and facilitators’ guidebooks used in fundraising and donor engagements. The controversy has also taken a more serious turn after documents alleged that one of Velma’s hideouts for money laundering is an Airbnb located behind Primer Hospital in Nyali, Mombasa. The allegations, however, remain unproven in court. Velma has also been accused in the documents of misconduct including sexual harassment, extortion and money laundering, claims that have not been independently verified by this publication. In a separate letter addressed to Coast Regional Forest Conservator James Mburu, the same forum alleges that senior KFS officials are shielding an embattled conservator identified as Ruwa Kalama, who is accused of mistreating junior staff, harassment, and involvement in questionable financial dealings dating back to his previous deployment in Lamu County. The forum claims there are pending reports filed in multiple human rights offices and argues that the allegations meet the threshold for investigations by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
Another anonymous insider, a former volunteer at the CBO, described the alleged tender dealings as “brazen and well-coordinated,” adding that “They treat every fundraising or government contract as a personal family business. Outsiders are either intimidated or excluded entirely, which is why the group’s reputation is now under serious scrutiny.”The dispute comes at a time when preparations are intensifying for the International Day of Forests 2026, scheduled to be held at Chapungu Primary School in Bamba, Ganze Sub-County on March 21. The event is expected to attract senior government officials, including Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung’aro. However, activists are now warning that the occasion risks being turned into a platform for what they describe as corrupt procurement masked as environmental conservation. One of the most explosive allegations in the documents is that the One Tree One Child CBO allegedly received a tender worth KSh 7,560,000 through irregular processes, after an alleged bribe of KSh 200,000 was issued to Ruwa Kalama to facilitate the award. The letter further alleges that Velma Kagonya was overheard discussing plans to purchase a Toyota Prado after the award, claiming the family would allegedly spend KSh 1 million and share profits of KSh 6.56 million. The forum has now demanded the immediate suspension of Ruwa Kalama pending investigations, cancellation of the tender allegedly awarded to One Tree One Child CBO, return of the alleged KSh 200,000 bribe, and issuance of a notice to show cause against the officer. It has also threatened litigation, petitions to government offices and media exposure if action is not taken within 72 hours.
