Kenya’s gambling regulator chief faces court bid over betting industry ties
The former mCHEZA chief executive is contesting two suits that question whether his past links to a betting operator disqualified him from the role.
Kenya.- Kenya’s gambling regulator is facing uncertainty over its leadership following the filing of two court petitions seeking to overturn the appointment of its first director-general, Peter Maina Karimi, over claims he did not meet the statutory qualifications required for the position.
The separate suits, filed before the High Court and the Employment and Labour Relations Court, challenge the legality of Karimi’s appointment as the inaugural director general of the Gambling Regulatory Authority (GRA), created under the Gambling Control Act 2025. The High Court petition argues that his previous role as chief executive of the betting operator mCHEZA breached a provision barring anyone who has been a director, employee or shareholder of a gambling company from the position unless they left the company at least five years earlier. The petitioners also contend that he lacked the minimum 10 years of senior management experience the Gambling Control Act requires.
Karimi assumed office in February 2026 after the GRA was established to replace the former Betting Control and Licensing Board as part of Kenya’s gambling sector reforms. His appointment, however, has remained the subject of legal challenges since it was announced.
According to court documents, one petitioner alleges that Karimi’s employment history does not satisfy the experience threshold set out in law. The petition also claims the recruitment process failed to comply with statutory standards governing appointments to public office.
In the second case, the petitioner questions whether the recruitment panel lawfully recommended Karimi for the position. He seeks to have the appointment declared invalid and requests a fresh recruitment process if the court finds the selection was unlawful.
Karimi has opposed both petitions, maintaining that he meets the legal qualifications for the role and that his appointment complied with the relevant provisions of the law. He has asked the courts to dismiss the cases.
The petitions come at a pivotal time for the GRA, which is overseeing the rollout of Kenya’s reformed gambling regulatory regime. Analysts say the outcome of the proceedings could influence not only the regulator’s leadership but also public confidence in the governance of the country’s gambling sector.
