Battle Lines Drawn As KICC Board Split Over Appointment Of New CEO
Once a distinguished establishment, KICC is currently entangled in persistent conflicts within its boardroom, posing a risk to the stability of this renowned state-owned entity.
Originally private communications from employees to the EACC and Ombudsman offices have now been disclosed publicly, revealing internal conflicts that, among other issues, have brought the institution to the verge of financial collapse.
On October 15, 2023, four out of the five autonomous members of the KICC board communicated with the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, urging the discontinuation of Patricia Ondeng’s position as the acting KICC CEO. Instead, they proposed appointing a successor from the existing KICC staff.
The board had planned to carry out replacements and appoint a new CEO, but internal disagreements within the board arose regarding the selection process.
The independent members of the board assert that they have initiated the search for a suitable candidate to replace the current one, utilizing oral interviews and psychometric tests administered by the Kenya School of Government. However, another group, headed by board chair Adelina Mwau, seems to have pursued a separate recruitment strategy.
Although the independent board asserts that it is currently in the second stage of the recruitment process, involving approval of candidates by pertinent government agencies, the faction led by the chair seems to be progressing more swiftly in its hiring efforts.
In a letter dated October 11, 2023 under item number one, the chair said: “For the record, the full board had a meeting on September 29th, 2023 reviewed the recruitment report ready for submission to the Cabinet Secretary.”
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Meanwhile, the independent board members poured cold water on the report, saying, “The board only reviewed the report on aptitude tests and did not receive the reports from other government agencies such as NIS, DCI, KRA, HELB, and the EACC to assess the integrity of various candidates.
The board members who operate independently, in letters sent to Head of Public Service Felix Koskei and Tourism Cabinet Secretary Dr. Alfred Mutua, have alleged that the acting CEO of KICC has made choices that could potentially lead to financial losses for the organization.
In the records, the autonomous board criticized the interim CEO for transferring the procurement duties related to renovation projects worth Ksh.1.9 billion to the Kenya Defense Forces (KDF) for hosting the Africa Climate Summit without obtaining the board’s approval.
She faces additional allegations of not obtaining the board’s authorization for implementing the Ksh.1.9 billion budget, essentially causing the KICC budget to reach Ksh.3 billion, despite the board having jurisdiction over budgetary matters.
The interim CEO, who is at the heart of the controversy, faces additional allegations of moving Ksh.400 million to the Ministry of Defence without board approval and outside the sanctioned budget, thereby putting KICC in financial jeopardy.
Additional claims involve charges of mishandling Ksh.20 million, not securing board approval for the KICC’s 50th jamboree, and declining to synchronize the signing mandate for KICC bank accounts.
Battle Lines Drawn As KICC Board Split Over Appointment Of New CEO