EZRA CHILOBA’S SUSPENSION IS TOTAL WITCH-HUNT

EZRA CHILOBA’S SUSPENSION IS TOTAL WITCH-HUNT

By Chris Ojow

The suspension of Communication

Authority Director Ezra Chiloba is

clouded with malice and ill intention.

An internal memo by board chair Mary

Mungai communicated the suspension

following a board meeting giving no

details except expressing pleasure at

the appointment of Mr. Christopher

Wambua as acting Director General. Mr.

Wambua recently returned to the CA

after a stint on secondmnent to The

Kenya Film and Classification Board

(KFCB) as Ag. CEO. Other officers at CA

at the same rank such as Ms. Patricia

Muchiri who is the Director, Consumer

Affairs was overlooked despite having

an excellent track record and deep

understanding of the CA mandate.

The Board, in a clandestine manner

leaked a board paper watermarked as

originating from a Ms. Sarah Kabira. In

this document, the board alleges that

Chiloba engaged in corrupt practices

that attempted to defraud the agency of

Ksh. 25 million ($170,000).

It is revealed in the alleged report of

the agencys audit, As the accounting

officer there was gross misconduct of

the process to acquire a mortgage for

himself as is demonstrated by

disbursement of the loan of KES

25,000,000 to Kitale Hilmost Limited.

The allegations that a report who’s

authenticity is unknown and

questionable painted CA Director

Chiloba as the most corrupt which to

the public sound like malice with no

evidence of support but mere

allegations and why now?

Sources behind the scenes have informed

us on condition of anonymity that the

CA has not lost any money as the DG has

been repaying the loan which is duly

secured. As to the alleged self

approval, this follows the internal

processes and procedures, and we find

it shocking that the board seems to

imagine they should have administrative

oversight.

It is also alleged that the office that

suspended Chiloba is trying to cover

the alleged corrupt deals, as it is

also alleged that one of the officers

who is said to have authorized the

suspension illegally gave her daughter

a tender and is also involved in shoddy

business deals South Sudan.

The CA boards competence has been

brought to the forefront as they also

have highlighted that the former acting

DG, Ms. Mercy Wanjau, who is now the

Secretary to the Cabinet also self-

approved her loan confirming that the

internal procedures have not been

altered by Chiloba.

It is interesting how everyone, except

the CA Board, has sought to distance

themselves from Chilobas suspension.

Even the Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo

and his Permanent Secretary are also

shocked after hearing and reading from

the media that Chiloba was suspended,

which raises questions of integrity and

state procedure in acting on serious

issues that may affect service

delivery.

Questions that remain unanswered:

Why the Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo

distances himself from Ezra Chiloba’s

suspension?

Why The Permanent Secretary is in

darkness on the issue of Chiloba

suspension?

Why is Interpol investigating Mary

Mungai who is said to have suspended

Chiloba?

Ezra Chiloba served half of his four-

year tenure before his suspension over

alleged corrupt practices.

Christopher Wambua was appointed as

Acting Director General.

Chiloba is a seasoned and highly

competent technocrat who served as

Project Manager at UNDP and later as

the powerful IEBC CEO under whose

tenure the 2017 election was

successfully carried out. He later was

bundled out of office for alleged

improprieties. He later sued the IEBC

and was awarded damages in the tens of

millions as no evidence was adduced.

At the CA, Chiloba is much loved by the

staff for his firm but fair management

style. His humility and collaborative

style has unlocked staff morale despite

the heavy handed interference by the

board chair.

Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo admitted

that he has not received any

information regarding Chiloba’s

suspension.

According to the appointment letter,

Chiloba was to serve in the position

for a renewable period of four years.