ICT Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has washed his hands over
financial troubles gripping the Communications Authority of Kenya,
saying the matter rests with the board of directors.
“I
want to let the institution deal with their issues as an independent
institution, at a time when my role will be required, I will play my
role,” said Dr Matiang’i.
The CA board has been
engulfed in a storm following revelations by an internal report that
senior executives spent Sh307 million on travel allowances last year.
The
report came at a time when the board members are facing several court
cases questioning their legality. The office of the ombudsman is also
investigating irregular issuance of allowances at the board.
FRESH AUDIT ORDERED
“We
are putting in place mechanisms to ensure that the trouble at the CA
comes down, we have ordered a fresh financial audit that will reveal the
true picture of the Authority’s expenditure,” said CA board chairman
Ben Ngene Gituku on phone.
The telecoms regulator has sent Peris Nkonge, finance director and Juma Kandie, human resource director, on compulsory leave for refusing to provide information to CA board audit committee.
CA
stated that the report in question was meant to furnish management and
the board with information about the potential risks that may arise from
the management of local and international travels.
In a
statement, CA Director-General Francis Wangusi said, “the allowances
payable to staff on official duty when out of station are duly aligned
with the Public Service rates. The applicable rates are contained in the
Salaries and Remuneration Circular.”
The report stated
that last year, staff at CA made 421 trips both local and overseas to
attend conferences, field visits, training and workshops, most of which
were unaccounted for.
Trouble has however persisted at
the CA board even as an Airtel letter to CA revealed that Mr Wilbert
Choge had attempted to seek a bribe.
BRIBE ALLEGATION
Airtel
CEO Adil El Youssefi in the letter says that Choge openly solicited a
bribe to influence the board not to push Airtel to pay Sh2.7 billion for
renewal of its license.
Mr Choge together with his
colleagues Mr Ken Nyaundi, Ms Grace Munjuri, Prof Levi Obonyo, Ms Hellen
Kinoti, Ms Beatrice Opee and Mr Peter Mutie are purportedly in office
against a court order that disbanded the entire board in May.
The
board has been cited for contempt in a case that could see the entire
board stripped off their duties again, stalling the regulator’s
activities.
The application filed before the Court of Appeal on September 24 states that the seven members of the board at CA have disobeyed a court order that stayed the May disbandment order.
The matter has been termed urgent by the Court of Appeal and a hearing set for November 24.
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