For years, Kenya’s auctioneering profession has carried a deeply negative public image. To many Kenyans, the mention of an auctioneer immediately evokes fear, intimidation, chaos and humiliation. Stories of midnight raids, violent property seizures and confrontations involving hired goons have dominated public perception of the sector.

Yet the uncomfortable truth is that many of these acts are not committed by licensed auctioneers at all. Instead, the greatest threat to the integrity of the profession comes from masqueraders and unlicensed individuals, who exploit public ignorance, hide behind the name of auctioneers and engage in illegal enforcement activities for personal gain.

These rogue actors routinely violate the Auctioneers Act, operate without accountability and tarnish the reputation of professionals who are legally mandated to execute court orders and debt recovery processes within the law. Kenya's auctioneering sector is far more important to the economy than most people realise to the enforcement of court decrees, recovery of non-performing loans, realisation of charged assets and disposal of public and private property.

According to industry estimates, Kenya has between 500 and 600 licensed auctioneers operating across all 47 counties, handling thousands of cases each year for courts, banks, landlords and businesses. The industry has become even more critical as financial institutions grapple with rising non-performing loans. Kenya’s banking sector has, in recent years, recorded non-performing loan ratios above 14 per cent, increasing dependence on lawful asset recovery mechanisms. Unfortunately, as the demand for recovery services grows, so, too, has the rise of illegal operators posing as licensed auctioneers. These masqueraders thrive in confusion.

Many members of the public cannot distinguish between a licensed auctioneer and a criminal posing as one. They exploit this gap by carrying out unlawful evictions, charging illegal fees, conducting seizures outside legal hours and using violence and intimidation that have no place in a professional justice system.

Fake auctioneers undercut professional fees, expose clients to costly legal disputes and erode trust in the entire sector. Banks, courts, landlords and businesses that unknowingly engage unlicensed operators risk lawsuits, reputational damage and invalid enforcement processes.

This is why professional bodies such as the National Association of Kenya Auctioneers (Naka), the Kenya National Society of Professional Auctioneers (Kensap) and the Auctioneers’ Licensing Board must urgently intensify efforts to clean up the profession.

The first step is making it easy for the public to verify legitimate auctioneers.

Kenya is rapidly digitising public services, and the auctioneering sector cannot afford to remain behind. The Auctioneers’ Licensing Board, together with industry associations, should establish a live public verification portal containing names, licence numbers, photographs and current licensing status of all registered auctioneers.

Banks, courts, law firms and members of the public should be encouraged to confirm authenticity before issuing instructions or complying with enforcement notices.

Digital verification tools such as QR-coded licences and identification cards would significantly reduce fraud. A simple scan should instantly confirm whether an auctioneer is genuine and licensed to operate.

In addition, every licensed auctioneer should be required to display their licence number on notices, advertisements, official correspondence and business cards. Public awareness campaigns must reinforce a simple message: If there is no valid licence number, walk away.

The second priority is tougher enforcement. The Auctioneers Act already criminalises unlicensed practice, but enforcement remains inconsistent. Professional associations should establish dedicated complaints and intelligence desks to collect evidence against rogue operators and forward airtight cases to the Directorate of Criminal Investigations and the Auctioneers’ Licensing Board for prosecution.

There is a need for public accountability. A regularly updated ‘caution list’ of suspected or convicted masqueraders should be shared with banks, courts, law firms and the public through media platforms. Reputation is everything in this sector, and exposing illegal operators would deter many from entering the trade.

The institutions that hire auctioneers must also take responsibility. Banks, courts and legal firms are among the largest consumers of auctioneering services. Partnerships between the judiciary, the Law Society of Kenya, the Kenya Bankers Association and professional auctioneers’ associations could ensure that only verified practitioners receive instructions.

Beyond enforcement, the sector desperately needs public education. Many Kenyans do not understand the legal process surrounding auctions, repossessions and court-ordered recoveries.

This ignorance allows rogue actors to manipulate victims and fuel hostility toward legitimate auctioneers. Civic education through radio, print, digital media and public forums would help citizens understand their rights, obligations and how to identify lawful enforcement procedures.

However, reform must also come with discipline from within the profession itself. Licensed auctioneers who violate ethical standards must face swift disciplinary action. Professionalism, transparency and humane conduct are essential if the industry hopes to rebuild public confidence. What must be avoided is vigilantism or violent confrontations against suspected masqueraders. Such actions only create further liability and deepen the sector’s damaged reputation. The solution lies in documentation, investigation and prosecution, not mob justice.

Kenya’s auctioneering profession is too important to be left at the mercy of criminals masquerading as officers of the law. Cleaning up the sector will not only protect the public but also restore dignity to a profession that remains essential to the country’s justice and financial systems.

Maurice Osundwa is the national chairman of the National Association of Kenya Auctioneers