The outgoing Director General of Communication Authority of Kenya Francis Wangusi said he will not handover to his successor Mercy Wanjau.
Miss Wanjau was appointed by the CA board on Thursday to succeed Mr. Wangusi who has been at the helm of the firm since 2012.
From a report in a local daily-The Star , Mr. Wangusi through a phone call said that the board had rejected Wanjau’s appointment
“It is sad that a few people with selfish interests are forcing a person to head such a vital government institution,” Wangusi said. Adding that his term ended on Wednesday but there was no clear communication to who he should relinquish the mantle
According to Mr. Wangusi, he learnt of Miss Wanjau’s appointed through the media reports on Thursday morning. The announcement was executed by the firm’s Chairman Ngene Giktuku at the headquarters.
The rot at the Kenya’s Communication centre is not new, with series of cases having been presented in courts for appointments having been done in a controversial way.
In late July, activist Okiya Omtatah moved to court to challenge the decision by ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru to handpick and appoint individuals to the board without involving the Public Service Commission.
Justice Byram Ongaya on Friday (August 2,) issued conservatory orders against Mahmoud Mohamed Noor, Paul Muraguri Mureithi, Jackson Kemboi and Laura Chite until a case challenging their appointment is heard and determined.
“Parties to maintain status as of today with respect to the performance of duty pending the inter-parties hearing of the application and the determination that the appointments were made in compliance with the Constitution of Kenya and the Kenya Information and Communication Act,” the order reads.
As for now, Mercy Wanjau is CA’s Director General in an interim capacity.
She is a commercial lawyer, regulatory and governance expert working with the Communications Authority of Kenya as the director Legal Services and board secretary.
She has been involved in designing and harmonizing policy and regulation in ICT sector at the local, regional and international level for over 15 years.
