MPs have called for tougher action against rogue auctioneers accused of using gangs and excessive force to seize property, warning that weak enforcement is exposing Kenyans to intimidation, abuse and financial losses.
The concerns were raised on Wednesday when the National Assembly Public Investment Committee on Governance and Education questioned the Auctioneers licensing Board (ALB) over its regulation of the sector.
The committee, chaired by Luanda MP Dick Maungu, was also scrutinizing Auditor- General reports covering the 2018/19 to 2024/25 financial years.
MPs pressed the board to explain measures it was taking against unlicensed and rogue auctioneers, particularly practitioners accused of using gangs to execute their assignments.
Maungu said rogue operators were damaging the reputation of legitimate auctioneers and undermining public confidence in the profession.
“You will agree with me that we have quack lawyers, so you also have quack auctioneers,” Maungu told the board.
The legislators questioned the manner in which some auctioneers execute warrants, particularly allegations that unauthorized persons are brought in to intimidate or overpower people whose property is being seized.
The committee stressed that enforcement of court orders and recovery of debts must remain within the law and should not become an avenue for harassment, intimidation or violence.
Use Police, not Goons
ALB CEO Festus Terer told MPs that the regulator had engaged police leadership to ensure auctioneers relied on lawful security measures rather than private gangs.
Terer said he met the Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja in May, accompanied by board members, to discuss challenges affecting the auctioneering profession.
“We want auctioneers to use police, not goons,” Terer said.
He added that the engagement with the police was part of efforts to restore order and ensure auctioneers operate within the law.
Central Imenti MP Moses Kirima, however, said disciplinary action alone was insufficient to protect Kenyans who suffer losses during the auction process.
He called for a mechanism through which victims could obtain compensation when their property or money is mishandled by auctioneers.
Board Intensifies Inspections
Terer said the Auctioneers Licensing Board had stepped up inspections of practitioners across the country.
He cited a June inspection exercise that uncovered auctioneers operating without proper officers and identified other compliance shortcomings.
The CEO, however, told the committee that the board’s ability to compensate victims was limited by the Auctioneers Act.
He cited Section 24 of the law, which restricts the circumstances under which compensation can be ordered.
The MPs’ concerns are likely to increase scrutiny of the auctioneering sector as Parliament seeks stronger safeguards for members of the public facing property seizures over unpaid debts or court orders.
