John Ngumi has resigned as the Independent non-executive director at the Kenya Airways.
Ngumi who is an investment banker is under investigation for allegedly profiteering from the controversial sale of Telkom Kenya.
“The Board announces the resignation of Mr John Ngumi as an independent non-executive director of the company,” Kenya Airways Board of Directors Chairman Michael Joseph said in a statement on Friday, June 2.
Moreover, Michael Joseph announced the appointment of James David Kabereri as an independent non-executive director.
Kabereri is to take up the position in interim as a replacement for Ngumi, pending an annual general meeting.
Ngumi’s resignation from Kenya Airways is his second high-profile resignation after he quit as Safaricom’s board chairman and director in January just after five months in office.
“My departure is motivated by my belief that now the tough work of stabilizing KQ is starting to bear fruit, it is the right time for others to come in and build on the transformational platform that the Board and Management of KQ has created,” Mr Ngumi is quoted to have told KQ’s board.
Also Read: John Ngumi Replaces Michael Joseph As Safaricom Board Chairman
“I remain a firm believer in KQ’s strategic and economic importance to Kenya, and I am confident that before long Kenyans will all recognize that KQ is worthy and deserving of the critical and invaluable support it has received, and continues receiving, from the Government.” He added.
Ngumi’s exit from Kenya Airways comes barely a few weeks after he went to court to prevent the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) from prosecuting him.
Nonetheless, he managed to bar the State from having him arrested and prosecuted, for what he termed in court papers as the State’s resolve to pursue ex-president Uhuru Kenyatta’s cronies.
Moreover, this exit deepens his mystery as he is also on the radar of several anti-graft agencies, his latest appearance in public being before the National Assembly’s Finance and National Planning and the Communication, Innovation and Information committees that are jointly probing the acquisition of Telkom Kenya for Ksh.6.2 billion.
