Oil agency boss sent on leave in new changes

Sumayya Athmani

National Oil Corporation (NOC) Chief Executive Officer Sumayya Athmani has been sent on leave.

Ms Sumayya was sent home last Wednesday by the NOC board.

Even though she was asked to step aside to allow an audit to be conducted, her letter did not say that. Mary Kariuki was appointed the acting CEO by the recently-reconstituted board.

Athmani said she was asked to go on leave and wait for an audit to be conducted.

“But the letter did not indicate there is an audit being conducted. It said I proceed on early leave,” she said.

She has been at NOC since 2007 and is a member of the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators.

She also sits on the National Fossil Fuels Advisory Committee and the National Fossil Fuels Training sub-Committee.

The move comes after the new energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter took office. Mr Keter has expressed intent to re-organise major office holders under his docket for easy and fast delivery of services.

Days after the CS took office, Kenya Pipeline acting CEO Flora Okoth was sent on forced leave and replaced by the General Manager, Joel Sang.

Apart from Kenya Power and Kenya Pipeline, the other parastatals under Keter are the regulatory commission, the Rural Electrification Authority, Geothermal Development, Kenya Petroleum Refineries and Kenya Electricity Generating company.

Others are Kenya Electricity Transmission and Nuclear Electricity and Renewable Energy Portal.