Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter has appointed a new team at the helm of Kenya Power and Lighting Company in acting capacity.
The appointment follows the arrest of more than 18 top managers at the power company on charges of having committed economic crimes leading to losses of up to 400 million shillings public funds.
Mr. Jared Omondi Othieno has been named the acting Managing Director for a period of three months while Peter Waweru Njenga has been named as the acting head of Street Lighting Department.
The head of Internal Audits position has been taken by Mr. Charles Ng’eno with the CS Calling on the DCI and the police to be ‘humane’ while making arrests.
Others who have been appointed includes Ambrose Lemaon who has been appointed as the General Manager in charge of finance and Joyce Awinja who now takes over as the Supply Chain Manager.
The Board
The board at Kenya Power convened a crisis meeting following the arrests of the managers and set to assure the public that there was no power vacuum at the power company.
“The board wishes to reassure members of the public, customers, shareholders, development partners and other stakeholders that operations of the business have not and will not be affected,” said the board in a statement sent to newsrooms.
The Arrests
Mr. Ben Chumo, the former managing Director and C.E.O was arrested on Saturday alongside others by officials from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Dr. Ken Tarus surrendered himself to the DCI on Sunday and was remanded at Muthaiga Police Station before appearing in court on Monday.
Denied Charges
The suspects denied charges leveled against them and asked the court to be released on bail. The court adjourned the hearing to Tuesday and directed that the accused be remanded at Gigiri Police Station awaiting the determination of their application for bail.