The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) has finally pushed their way through in reappointing former Managing Director Joe Sang following flopped attempt to reinstate him after the court dropped Sh1.9billion graft case against him.
Today, KPC board chairperson Faith Bett Boinett has announced that Sang emerged top in the just concluded recruitment process, board chair Faith Bett Boinett announces.
Earlier, the Bett chaired board unsuccessfully tried to reinstate Sang to his former post without undertaking fresh competitive recruitment process after the Law Society of Kenya (LSK) obtained a court injuction suspending the reappointment.
LSK President Eric Theuri noted that the orders gave a nod for the Kenya Pipeline board to appoint a new boss from the senior management.
LSK had argued that Sang does not hold any position within the state corporation having resigned as the MD in 2018.
LSK argued the then appointment of Sang was against the constitution and the set standards that govern the recruitment of public officers in a fair competition and merit.
It further said that there was no advertisement for the position of MD and none has been put forth so far.
“Being a State Corporation squarely falls within the per view of a public entity and is subject to Constitutional dictates and principles as set forth by both the Constitution and the Public Service Commission, the 5th respondent herein with regards to the recruitment and staffing of public offices,” Theuri said.
Attorney General Justin Muturi okayed move by the board to have Sang rejoin the lucrative parastatal after his case was dropped stating that there was nothing wrong with appointing an external person to be the KPC boss in the circumstance that the board did not find a suitable candidate within the state corporation.
However, in today’s announcement by the board, Sang has been reported the highest ranking performer among all the applicants.
“Sang’s brief but highly effective tenure at KPC (2016-2018) saw remarkable changes in the management and performance of the State Corporation. I was part of the KPC board that witnessed the profitability of the Company rise steadily from 2016 when he assumed management, culminating in a record Profit Before Tax of Sh12.4 billion (Sh8.6 Billion after tax) in 2018. This is the highest profit in the 50-year history of the Company.” Bett said.
In December last year, the court ruled that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegations of abuse of office, engaging in a project without prior planning and willful failure to comply with applicable laws and guidelines relating to management of public funds.
The court found that the Sh1.9billion project was undertaken within the planned budget and that no public funds were lost.
He had been charged alongside company secretary Gloria Khafafa, Head of Procurement Vincent Cheruiyot, procurement manager Nicholas Gitobu, General Manager Finance Samuel Odonyo and General Manager in charge of infrastructure Billy Aseka.
