CS Owalo sacks KBC Managing Director Samuel Maina over alleged Ksh770 billion fraud

Information Communication and Technology (ICT) cabinet secretary (CS) Eliud Owalo has terminated the contract of Samuel Maina as acting Managing Director at the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).

In a letter dated December 18, CS Owalo accused Maina of committing the government to pay over Ksh770 billion in a case versus KBC without seeking approval of the ICT Ministry.

This was after Maina directed KBC to pay USD 5 billion (Ksh770) in an arbitration case filed at the London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA).

According to Owalo, the KBC Managing Director was also required to get approval of the National Treasury and the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice before committing to pay the money.

“The appointment of Mr. Samuel Maina as acting Managing Director is terminated with immediate effect.

ICT cabinet secretary Eliud Owalo. Photo: Citizen Digital

“Mr. Samuel Maina should proceed on suspension immediately and disciplinary action instituted against him by the Board,” Owalo added.

At the same time, the ICT CS appointed Paul Macharia as the Acting Managing Director for the national broadcaster, KBC.

Macharia is currently the Communication Economic Expert at the National Communications Secretariat, under the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Digital Economy.

Macharia’s term starts with effect from Tuesday, December 19, 2023 for a period of six months.

“Meanwhile, the board is instructed to expedite the process of recruitment of a substantive Managing Director for the corporation,” Owalo noted in the letter.