Samuel Maina: Fired KBC Acting Managing Director Clarifies Money In Question Is KSh 5b, Not KSh 770b

• Samuel Maina, who was sacked as the acting managing director of KBC, admitted he committed an error in the offer to settle a long-term dispute
• He explained that the intended amount was KSh 5 billion and not $5 billion (KSh770 billion), as he mistakenly wrote in a letter to Channel 2 firm in Dubai
• Maina's contract was immediately terminated by the ICT CS Eliud Owalo and Paul Macharia, appointed on a six-month contract

Nancy Odindo, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings more than three years of experience covering politics, news, and feature stories across digital and print media in Kenya.

Samuel Maina, the recently fired acting managing director of Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC), has apologised to the Ministry of Information, Communication, and Technology for an error he made in the offer to settle a dispute with a Dubai company.

Maina admitted that he mistakenly indicated KSh 769.5 billion ($5 billion) in his letter to Channel 2 instead of KSh 5 billion as directed by the government.

According to Citizen Digital, he termed his actions a grievous misrepresentation of the figure quoted and withdrew the letter with the USD figures.

Samuel Maina sacked

On Tuesday, December 19, ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo ordered the immediate termination of Maina's contract after he committed the government to pay the amount without consulting with the Ministry, National Treasury, and the Attorney General and Department of Justice offices.

"Following a letter (Ref: KC/MD/5/42//C) dated December 18, 2023 (enclosed) through which the acting Managing Director has committed the Government of the Republic of Kenya to pay USD 5 billion in LCIA Arbitration No. 122233: Channel 2 Group Corporation Versus Kenya Broadcasting Corporation without seeking the concurrence of the Ministry, National Treasury, and the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice in total disregard of earlier instructions given to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation on the matter," read the statement in part.

Owalo said the acting MD disregarded the directions issued. While he awaits disciplinary action against his grievous actions, the CS appointed communications expert Paul Macharia in an acting capacity until the appointment of a substantive chief executive officer.

"I duly appoint Paul Macharia, currently the Communication Economic Expert at the National Communications Secretariat, which falls under the mandate of the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy, as the Acting Managing Director with effect from December 19, 2023, for a period of six (6) months or upon the appointment of a substantive Chief Executive Officer pursuant to section 34 of the Public Service Commission Act, No. 10 of 2017," he said.

Maina was appointed as the acting MD of the state-owned firm in March 2022.