Othieno’s role at Kenya Power hazy as new boss takes office

The role of former Acting Managing Director and CEO of Kenya Power Jared Othieno remained hazy as substantive boss was appointed.

Othieno was conspicuously missing on Tuesday at the event where Bernard Ngugi was unveiled as new head of Kenya Power.

Board Chairman Ambassador Mahboub Maalim said Eng. Othieno was unwell hence his absence.

Curiously, the utility firm soon updated its senior management team list on the website. The changes that saw Ngugi included in the roll as managing director and CEO, but were silent on Othieno’s future at the firm.

This is despite all other acting general managers being included in the list as well as regional managers.

When Citizen Digital team contacted Othieno on his future at the firm, he remained non committal.

“I will not comment about that,” he said.

Sources at Kenya Power however intimated that he would resume his role as Acting Manager, Street Lighting.

With over 30 years of experience with the firm, Othieno was appointed in July last year. This followed a graft purge that swept away MD Ken Tarus and a host of general and senior managers.

Tarus, together with his predecessor, were arraigned on charges of importing faulty transformers that cost taxpayers millions of shillings.

The case is still pending in court.

Ngugi, the new Managing Director, says his focus will be to return the firm back to a profitability path.

Kenya Power in September issued a profit warning. This signifying that its earnings would be less than 25 per cent of the Ksh.1.92 billion it made in the previous year.