Mbeere North Member of Parliament Leonard Muriuki Njeru, popularly known as Leo Wa Muthende, is a Kenyan businessman turned politician with established businesses in the country.
Wamuthende is said to own several medical and pharmaceutical companies in Kenya, among them Biomax Africa Limited which is linked to a multi-million-shilling scam at the Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH).
The alleged scam involved a project to stabilize Kenya’s biggest referral hospital. According to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the Sh643 million fraud involves a tender awarded to Wamuthende’s Biomax Africa Limited during the 2021/2022 financial year for the supply and installation of a medical oxygen generating plant at KNH.
EACC report submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on June 12, 2025, alleged that Biomax Africa used falsified documents, including forged performance bonds, to secure the contract.
The plant was contracted to produce 8,000 litres of oxygen per minute (LPM) but has only managed to generate approximately 2,800 LPM. This failure has forced KNH to spend over Sh565 million since 2022 to procure liquid oxygen from private suppliers, a cost exceeding the original value of the defective plant.
Between July 2023 and February 2024 alone, KNH reportedly spent more than Sh168 million on these emergency supplies.
EACC called for the arrest of Wamuthende, former Health Principal Secretary Susan Mochache, and other officials with procurement irregularities and abuse of office.
Despite the scandal, the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) cleared him to contest for the Mbeere North Parliamentary Seat in the just-concluded by-elections.
He won the elections on a United Democratic Alliance (UDA) ticket, beating Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) candidate Newton Karish in a hotly contested race.
According to provisional results, Wamuthende received 15,802 votes, beating Newton Kariuki, popularly known as Karish, who garnered 15,308.
The by-election followed the vacancy left by former Member of Parliament Geoffrey Ruku, who was appointed the Ministry of Public Service Cabinet Secretary in March 2025.
This is not the first time Wamuthende has contested for a political seat, and he has over the years been active in the Mbeere North politics.
In 2017, he contested for the Embu gubernatorial seat but was defeated by Martin Wambora. In 2022, he supported Geoffrey Ruku for Mbeere North MP and William Ruto for President.
Born in Kianthawa village in Nthawa ward, Mbeere North Sub-county, Wamuthende attended Siakago Primary School and later St. Paul’s Kevote High School.
His excellent academic performance earned him a spot at the University of Nairobi where he graduated with a degree in Biochemistry, First Class Honors.
He worked with several medical and pharmaceutical companies before establishing his first company in the pharmaceutical industry in 2006.
Additionally, in 2023, Wamuthende reportedly founded two additional firms focused on medical equipment and hospital systems.
