Wangusi says he’s vacated top CA job

Outgoing CA director-general Francis Wangusi. FILE PHOTO | NMG 

By DENNIS LUBANGA
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Summary

• Mr Francis Wangusi, 61, was first appointed CA boss on August 21, 2012.
• The CA board appointed Mercy Wanjui to replace him in an acting capacity following expiry of his second term on Thursday last week.

Outgoing Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) director-general Francis Wangusi said he has vacated office, ending a leadership dispute that has rocked the State agency.

In an interview Wednesday at his Tuuti home in Kanduyi, Bungoma County, Mr Wangusi threatened to sue the CA board “for perpetuating lies that I’m still in office.”

Mr Wangusi, 61, was first appointed CA boss on August 21, 2012.

The CA board appointed Mercy Wanjui to replace him in an acting capacity following expiry of his second term on Thursday last week.

“I have since vacated my office at CA. I did not hand over because that should be the duty of the board, which is not properly constituted at the moment,” he said.

“I have nothing to do with what the board has been saying about me following my exit. So many things are moving around me which I must say that I am not aware of. I don’t even have a hand in all those court orders they are talking about. This is the reason I am going to take my lawyer to protect my image,” said Mr Wangusi.

Last Tuesday, the Employment and Labour Relations Court ruled to suspend recruitment of Mr Wangusi’s replacement in a case filed by the Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek).

Cofek had moved to court, arguing that the CA board was not properly constituted, and therefore could not appoint a new CA boss.

Cofek interpreted the Tuesday ruling to mean Mr Wangusi was still in office while the CA board maintained it only stops it from naming a substantive replacement, but does not quash appointment of Mercy Wanjau as acting director-general.

On Wednesday, Mr Wangusi called for protection “from all quarters” saying his rich legacy could not be wished away.

“So many services have emerged in the telecommunications sector during my tenure and I must put it on record that I have put Kenya on the world map in terms of telecommunications sector. When people start fighting me I don’t know why they are doing so,” Mr Wangusi said.

He expressed disappointment that the CA board never sought his counsel on the succession.

“I thought board chairman Ngene Gituku was going to ask me to suggest the best placed person to replace me but he went ahead and appointed Ms Wanjau owing to her allegiance to the Ministry of Information. This is one lady who cannot push the office forward. I was disappointed by the move,” he said.