Kisiang'ani axed as ICT PS in new govt changes

Immediate former Principal Secretary Broadcasting and Telecommunications Edward Kisiang'ani. [File, Standard]

Edward Kisiang'ani has been dropped as the Information Communication and Technology Principal Secretary in new government changes announced on Thursday.

According to the changes announced by the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, Kisiang'ani has now been demoted to the position of a senior advisor and member of the President's Economic Council.

Kisiang'ani has been replaced by Stephen Isaboke who now takes over the ICT docket as PS.

His demotion comes hours after the High Court in Nairobi called him out for limiting private media players from accessing government advertisements.

Justice Lawrence Mugambi on Thursday said that Kisiang'ani has no authority to order or direct other public officers and entities where to place their advertisements.

At the same time, the judge was of the view that the PS's move was meant to censure independent media by starving them of money.

"The second respondent unlawfully appropriated unto himself non-existent powers. Under the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act, the second respondent has no capacity to exercise such powers rendering his memo void ab inito," said Justice Mugambi.

On Monday, March 17, Kisiang'ani, cancelled Standard Group's media contract with the Ministry of Irrigation due to its critical coverage.

Standard Group had been selected alongside Nation Media Group (NMG), The Star, Cape Media, and government broadcaster Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) to run a campaign for the launch of the National Irrigation Sector Investment Plan (NISIP).

His action was strongly condemned by varuious stakeholders including the Kenya Editors' Guild which emphasized that government advertising is not a privilege but a public service that should be allocated transparently and fairly.