Activists threaten to stop search for new CA Director General

The Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) and human rights activist Okiyah Omtatah have now threatened to stop recruitment of a new Director General at the Communications Authority of Kenya, saying its board which is spearheading the process is in office illegally.

According to a vacancy published in Tuesday’s newspapers, applicants must submit their requests by June 18 ahead of expiry of the term of long-serving Director General Francis Wangusi.

COFEK boss Stephen Mutoro said the 13-member board, led by Ngene Gituku, has no powers to recruit a new Director General for a state entity, adding that the process should instead be steered by an independent recruiting body.

Early this month, Omtatah won a major victory after a court blocked ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru from appointing new members to the CA board following expiry of current holders on April 29.

Omtatah argued that the constitution requires that boards for parastatals must be appointed through a process that guarantees autonomy of selected candidates.

He claimed that CS Mucheru should not be allowed to handpick and appoint ‘his cronies’ to the board, thereby stripping it of autonomy as required under Article 34 of the Constitution.

According to the Kenya Information and Communication Act (KICA) , the ministry is allowed to only announce the vacancies of board members.