Former Kenya Film Classification Board CEO Ezekiel Mutua. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

When Ezekiel Mutua tweeted asking Kenyans to ignore reports of his firing in August, he created the impression that his head was not on the chopping board.

“My attention has been drawn to reports on social media to the effect that I have been fired as CEO of KFCB. Please ignore such malicious rumours. I am not aware of such developments and there can be no grain of truth in them as there's no vacancy in the office of the CEO KFCB,” he tweeted on August 5.

But a day later, he would confirm his worst fears when an internal memo dated August 6, notified the replacement of Mutua as the Kenya Film Classification Board’s CEO.

Now, almost three months after his dismissal, Mutua has resurfaced on the airwaves, claiming he was unfairly removed from office.

“The way I was removed from office was unfair. I was a topic of discussion on all media platforms,” he said during an interview with Hot 96 today.

The former CEO also alleged that his sacking from the helm of the film board was “a misinterpretation of the law.”

“There is no police [sic] who come to chase someone to go home. You don't send the police with guns, you send them with a court order,” he said revisiting the events leading up to his dismissal.

However, Mutua, remembered for largely criticising creatives’ works via his Facebook and Twitter accounts, said he took his dismissal positively and would welcome other appointments if deemed fit.

“I left KFCB because it's bigger than me. I never maligned anybody…I am tested and tried,” the former CEO said.

His tenure at KFCB ended as dramatically as it had been. Branded the ‘moral cop’, Mutua’s hard stance on entertainment issues earned him friends and foes in equal measure. He would often criticise works posted by creatives on YouTube or other social media platforms, making new enemies each time.

At the time of leaving office, Mutua was at odds with Kenyan comedian Eric Omondi.

Omondi had asked Mutua to apologise for his treatment of creatives, saying: “You cannot bite the hand that feeds you. We are your employers. I told you your only option was to apologise to the Entertainment Industry for your unfortunate remarks.”

Mutua’s employment contract was set to lapse on October 25. He joined the board on secondment terms from the Ministry of ICT for three years from October 2015 and was renewed in October 2018.