In a recent announcement, President William Ruto has appointed veteran journalist Tom Mshindi as the new Chairperson of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) Board for a three-year term, effective immediately. The appointment comes as part of a change in leadership, with the revocation of Eng. Benjamin K. Maingi’s previous appointment to the same position.
The gazette notice dated January 19, 2024, states, “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 7 (3) of the State Corporations Act and section 4 (I) (a) of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation Act, I, William Samoei Ruto appoint Tom Mshindi Nyamancha to be the Chairperson of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation Board, for three (3) years, with effect from the 19th January 2024.” The notice also officially revokes the appointment of the outgoing Board Chair, Benjamin K. Maingi.
Maingi had been appointed to the position by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in October 2021. The change in leadership at KBC follows recent developments, including the removal of KBC Acting Managing Director Samuel Maina by ICT CS Eliud Owalo, who installed Paul Macharia in the same capacity.
Maina faced allegations of making irregular payments of Ksh.5 billion without the required approvals from the ICT Ministry, National Treasury, and the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice, disregarding government instructions. Specifically, he committed the government to pay British broadcaster Channel 2 Group $5 billion (Ksh.769.5 billion), a move he later apologized for.
In addition to the leadership changes, CS Owalo extended the term of the Working Group on Policy and Legislative Reforms for the Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy Sector. The group, formed the previous year, will continue its mandate for an additional three months, effective from last week on Friday.