New board takes charge at CA despite cases

The Government has inaugurated the new Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) board amidst pending legal suits.

Information and Communications Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru officiated at the ceremony saying the ministry was happy that the matter has finally been resolved. “It was important to constitute a board that was independent from all entities and free to conduct its business without interference,” he said.

Yesterday’s event is a culmination of months of legal suits and counter-suits. The new seven board directors replacing the ousted faction include the former first CEO of the Kenya ICT Authority Paul Kukubo. Others are Patricia Kimama, Kentice Tikolo, Mugambi Nandi, David Kitur and Guyo Huka.

Daystar University’s Dean of Communication studies Prof Levi Obonyo who was part of the ousted board members has made a comeback. The new board assumes office in the shadow of two legal suits due for mention in two weeks’ time.

One is an appeal notice by the deposed faction led by Kipsang Choge, former CA board director and the institution’s head of the audit committee. Mr Choge is looking to have the court re-instate the board by overturning the ruling delivered by High Court Judge Justice George Odunga in May 2015 that dissolved the board.

Activist Okiya Omtata who had filed a petition questioning the setting up of the new board is also seeking contempt of court proceedings against the ICT CS and has since enjoined the new board members in an amended suit. “On Monday the judge allowed me to amend the petition to include the names of the new members individually except for Prof Levi who is already a party,” explained Mr Omtata.

Omtata states that he is suing the ministry of information and the authority owing to its public mandate that calls for a judicial review in the interest of taxpayers.

“My petition is looking at reversing the amendments to the Kenya Information and Communication Authority Act and a judicial review of the Sh2.7 billion licence fees that Airtel was supposed to pay,” he stated. The case is due for hearing on May 31, 2016. However, Mucheru said the new Constitution gives any aggrieved person the right to seek legal redress.

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