A dispute over the management of Kenya Urban Roads Authority (Kura) Director-General Silas Kinoti’s X account has moved to the Milimani Commercial Court, with the social media manager claiming Ksh5.2 million in unpaid fees and expenses.
The case began after Kinoti sued Eugene Mokua, seeking orders requiring him to surrender the credentials of his X account and stop accessing or operating it. Kinoti argues that Mokua’s authority to manage the account ended after he terminated their engagement.
According to court papers, Kinoti says he engaged Mokua around June 2025 to manage, administer and operate his X account on his behalf. The work included creating and publishing content, engaging with followers, monitoring interactions and handling the day-to-day activities of the account.
Kinoti says the arrangement was based on trust, with Mokua expected to operate the account for his benefit and according to his directions. He also says the account is important because he uses social media to communicate with the public, government agencies and other stakeholders about official matters.
The Kura director-general claims that after ending the engagement, he asked Mokua several times to hand over the account credentials. He alleges that Mokua refused to do so despite the demands.
Kinoti has told the court that allowing another person to continue accessing the account could create confusion among members of the public. He argues that statements made through the account could be associated with him personally or with his office, even if he was not responsible for them.
The two sides, however, disagree on the terms of their agreement and whether the engagement was properly terminated.
Kinoti maintains that their arrangement was an oral engagement. He says the agreed fee for the services was Ksh3 million, which he paid in full. According to his pleadings, an initial payment of Ksh2 million was acknowledged before the remaining amount was settled.
He is also seeking a refund of Ksh75,000, which he says was paid for a premium subscription for the X account.
Mokua has disputed Kinoti’s account of events and filed a counterclaim amounting to Ksh5.2 million. He says the agreement was captured in WhatsApp conversations between the two parties on June 17, 2025.
Mokua maintains that the arrangement covered more services than the management of Kinoti’s X account. He claims the outstanding amount relates to nine months of account management, social media promotion, news publications, a tender application, Uber transport and other expenses he says he incurred while working for Kinoti.
He further denies promising to secure a verified checkmark for Kinoti’s X account, an issue that has also featured in the dispute.
In his defence, Mokua says Kinoti remains indebted to him and that he retained the account details because payment for the services had not been completed.
The dispute over the amount owed has also changed during the legal process. Mokua’s lawyers had initially demanded Ksh8.1 million for services they said had already been provided. The claim was later presented in court as a Ksh5.2 million counterclaim.
The court will now have to examine the evidence from both sides, including their communications and the terms under which Mokua was engaged to manage the account.
The parties are also expected to address whether the account credentials should be surrendered and whether Mokua is entitled to payment for the services and expenses he claims to have incurred.
The matter is scheduled to return to the Milimani Commercial Court on February 18, 2027, when the ongoing dispute over the X account and the money claimed by both sides is expected to come up again.
