The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) Board has suspended its Director General Ezra Chiloba with immediate effect.
In an internal memo to all staff, CA Board chair Mary Mungai said they reached a decision to suspend Chiloba on Monday, September 18, 2023.
However, Mungai did not give the reasons that led to the suspension of the former Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Chief Executive Officer.
At the same time, the board has appointed Christopher Wambua as the Acting Director General until further notice.
“Following a meeting of the Authority’s Board held on 18th September 2023, resulting in the suspension of the Director General, I am pleased to inform all staff of the appointment of Mr. Christopher Wambua as a Director General in Acting Capacity effective today until further notice.
I trust that you will accord him necessary support,” read the notice seen by The Kenya Times.
How Ezra Chiloba joined CA
Ezra Chiloba joined CA in September 2021 and was to hold a four-year renewable term.
His appointment was competitive having trounced more than one hundred applicants who were eying the powerful position.
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Chiloba succeeded the late Francis Wangusi who had served for two full terms.
On the other hand, the now acting DG, Christopher Wambua has been the Authority’s Director of Consumer and Public Affairs since 2016.
Moreover, before Chiloba joined the Waiyaki Way-based agency, he served on the board of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund (YEDF).
IEBC sacked Chiloba in 2018 following an internal audit that unearthed procurement irregularities during the 2017 General Election.
At the time of his dismissal at Anniversary Towers, Ezra Chiloba and the then Commissioner chair Wafula Chebukati were not seeing eye to eye.
Appointment of Mary Mungai to CA
President William Ruto appointed Mary Mungai as CA board chair in December 2022, barely a month after taking over from retired President Uhuru Kenyatta.
Furthermore, Mungai, a renowned businesswoman replaced Gilbert Kibe who quit to pursue personal interests.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 (1) (a) of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, I, William Ruto, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya, appoint—Mary Wambui Mungai to be the Chairperson of the Board of Communications Authority of Kenya, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 2nd of December 2022. The appointment of Gilbert Kibe is revoked,” read a Gazette notice by Ruto.
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However, Mungai was in 2021 arrested alongside her daughter Purity Njoki Mungai over tax evasion.
About CA
The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) is the regulatory authority for the communications sector in Kenya.
Established in 1999 by the Kenya Information and Communications Act, 1998, the Authority is responsible for facilitating the development of the information and communications sectors including broadcasting, cybersecurity, multimedia, telecommunications, electronic commerce, postal and courier services.
