Youth fund boss hired irregularly - report

Suspended Youth Enterprise Development Fund Chief Executive Officer Catherine Namuye. According to a document, Ms Namuye was not on the list of the shortlisted candidates forwarded to Ms Waiguru. FILE PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Her appointment also went against a letter from Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission written on January 16, 2014 to Mr Semelang’o confirming that Ms Namuye was under investigations and urged the board to be cautious in appointing her.

Devolution Cabinet Secretary Anne Waiguru disregarded a list of shortlisted candidates from the Board of Youth Enterprise Development Fund to appoint Ms Catherine Namuye as chief executive officer.

According to a document seen by Sunday Nation, Ms Namuye, who has been suspended over claims of fraud in Youth Fund, was not on the list of the shortlisted candidates forwarded to Ms Waiguru.

The candidates on the shortlist were Mr Joseph Muna Kimote, Mr Geoffrey Osiago Monari, Mr Adan Ali Mohammed, Mr Joshua M. Ngelu and Mr Halkano D Waqo.

“Following the advertisement, shortlisting and interviewing of candidates for the position of CEO of the Fund pursuant to relevant rules and regulations governing state corporations, taking into consideration EACC issues as well as regional balance and age, the following are five candidates most suitable in order of ranking” wrote then board chairman Mr Gor Semelang’o.

It was unclear why the CS disregarded the process but she later fell out with Mr Semelang’o.

Her appointment also went against a letter from Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission written on January 16, 2014 to Mr Semelang’o confirming that Ms Namuye was under investigations and urged the board to be cautious in appointing her.

“We also confirm that the commission is undertaking investigations in matters in which Ms Catherine Namuye is adversely mentioned. The allegations are serious and we urge you to take them into consideration in the recruitment of the chief executive officer,” EACC deputy CEO Michael Mubea said then.

Mr Semelango was replaced by Mr Bruce Odhiambo.

Ms Namuye has been entrapped into a procurement scandal made public two weeks ago.

According to documents and information sourced by Sunday Nation, which point to a situation where the officials have been forging documents, including bank instructions to defraud the public of millions of shillings in non-existent “consultancies”.

Ms Namuye in collusion with a senior board member and other senior managers are said to be deeply involved in the scheme that has seen the Fund lose Sh180.9 million in two months between February and April.