MPs want IEBC staff removed from MCK board

Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) Communications Manager Tabitha Mutemi. [File, Standard]]

The fate of staff at the electoral agency to continue serving in the board of media regulator lies with Members of the National Assembly.

This after the National Assembly ICT committee chaired by William Kipsang concurred with a petition lodged before them calling for Tabitha Mutemi’s sacking on assertions that she is gainfully employed in two institutions.

A member of the committee, Godfrey Ososti said he had prepared a dissenting opinion, which was excluded from the report.

The committee report has recommended that ICT Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru suspends Ms Mutemi to pave way for the constitution of a three-member tribunal to consider her case.

Issuing a notice of motion for debate and approval, Kisang has asked Parliament to endorse the petition by Muriuki Muriungi, an advocate of the High Court, to have Mutemi sacked.

Muriungi wants Mutemi, staff at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC), removed from the Media Council of Kenya board.

Curiously, the same committee is aware of a petition by the Kenya Editors Guild (KEG) which is in abeyance but prioritised the Muriungi petition as communicated by Speaker Justin Muturi.

SEVEN DAYS

The Media Council Act gives Parliament seven days to consider such a petition and table a report.

Kisang acknowledged receiving the KEG petition early last month and promised to consider it.

The committee said in the report that it was satisfied that the complaints contained in the petition were valid.

“Ineligibility of  Mutemi for appointment as a council member of Media Council of Kenya discloses grounds for appropriate action in accordance with the provisions of Section 14 (3) and (4) of the Act,” said the report.

The MPs said Mutemi should be removed for gross misconduct and in breach of the Constitution by holding two public offices at the same time.

“In response to the prayers, the committee, therefore, recommends that the complaint be submitted to the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology and Youth Affairs for appropriate action in accordance with the provisions of the Media Council Act,” the report reads.

The report said that based on the submissions received, the committee noted that the petition discloses sufficient grounds for removal from the office of Mutemi.