Veteran journalist Tom Mshindi has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) Board for a three-year term, according to a gazette notice dated January 19, 2024.
The appointment follows the revocation of Eng. Benjamin K. Maingi’s, who was holding the same role.
Mshindi, the former Editor-in-Chief at the Nation Media Group (NMG), assumes the new responsibility with immediate effect.
“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 gazette notice reads in part.
The notice further declared, “The appointment of Benjamin K. Maingi (Eng.) is revoked.”
Eng. Maingi, the outgoing Board Chair, was appointed by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in October 2021.
This change in leadership at KBC comes in the wake of recent developments, including the dismissal of KBC Acting Managing Director Samuel Maina by ICT CS Eliud Owalo.
Paul Macharia has been installed in Maina’s place.
The removal of Maina was prompted by allegations of irregular payments totaling Ksh.5 billion without the required approvals from the ICT Ministry, National Treasury, and the Office of the Attorney General and Department of Justice.
Maina had reportedly committed the government to pay the British broadcaster Channel 2 Group $5 billion (Ksh.769.5 billion), a move he later apologized for.
