Minister turns heat on fund board

A Cabinet minister and several MPs have put the management of the Youth Fund on the spot over the sacking of the chief executive.

Youth and Sports minister Hellen Sambili on Tuesday maintained that the embattled executive officer’s reinstatement was final.

Prof Sambili said Mr Umuro Wario was sacked for rejecting questionable deals.

Prof Sambili said the embattled CEO had accused the board of forcing him to enter into an agreement worth Sh300 million with Enablis Canada illegally.

The loan was approved against the backdrop of vicious intrigues pitting the board against the management, resulting in three managers, including Mr Wario being sent on forced leave.

The board later announced that Mr Wario had been sacked only to be reinstated by Prof Sambili last week.

Prof Sambili said the fund also hired public relations firm Skywest Media for a monthly fee of Sh440,000 through single sourcing.

Digital villages

Mr Wario had mentioned in his 16-page report to the Head of Public Service, Mr Francis Muthaura, attempts by the board to commit the fund to an agreement with a company called Idea Factory for the construction of Digital Villages for Sh50 million irregularly.

He also accused the board of demanding to sanction, by single sourcing, the buying of Chinese motorcycles, contrary to the Public Procurement Act.

The board recently placed notices in newspapers saying Mr Wario was no longer employed by the multi-billion fund.

However, Mr Wario has remained in office.

The board argues the Inspectorate of State Corporations had found Mr Wario guilty of improper conduct. It also accuses Prof Sambili of ignoring this finding by reinstating Mr Wario.

The minister has also been criticised by her two assistants Kabando wa Kabando and Wavinya Ndeti for acting like a lone ranger.

At a press conference in her office on Tuesday, Prof Sambili defended her move to reinstate Mr Wario, stating that the board had bypassed her in firing the CEO.

At the same time, MPs Simon Mbugua (Kamukunji) and Fred Kapondi (Mt Elgon) backed Prof Sambili and urged the board to quit.

At a press conference at Parliament on Tuesday, Mr Mbugua also supported the reinstatement of the fund’s chief executive.

He said a report of the Auditor-General for the first year of the fund’s existence had established that Sh250 million had been looted.