The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission has absolved former Communication Authority Director General Ezra Chiloba from blame following the conclusion of investigations into alleged mismanagement of staff mortgages at the authority during his reign.
The investigations were subject to a 2023 internal audit at CA that claimed Chiloba and nine other top officials at the authority allegedly failed to adhere to due process in approving staff mortgages.
Chiloba denied the allegations.
In a letter to CA Director General David Mugonyi dated April 4, 2024, EACC Chief Executive Officer Twalib Mbarak said there wasn’t sufficient evidence to support allegations against the former DG and his co-accused.
“On September 26, 2023, the commission received allegations of irregularities of management of Staff Mortgage Scheme at your Authority,” the letter reads in part.
“The investigation established that there was insufficient evidence to support the allegation against Ezra Chiloba and other officials of the authority. This is therefore to bring it to your attention that the matter was closed with no further action,” the EACC boss told Mugonyi.
This, he said, was pursuant to Section 35A of the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Act of 2023.
“However, we recommend that the authority reviews its Human Resource Policy and Procedure Manual dated February 2023 in line with the Communication Authority HCA circular No.1 B of 2021 dated March 23, 2021,” Mbarak said.
Chiloba resigned as CA Director General on October 18, 2023, at the height of the alleged abuse of office.
He had served as CA Director General since 2021 since taking over from the late Francis Wangusi following his retirement.
Chiloba communicated his resignation in a letter to the CA Board of Directors chairperson Mary Mungai, barely a month after his suspension in September 2023.
A day later, Mungai thanked him for his distinguished contribution to the authority and the ICT sector.
"On behalf of the authority I wish the outgoing director general success in his future endeavour and appreciate his invaluable contribution to the organization and the wider ICT sector," she said.
On March 8, 2024, President William Ruto nominated the former IEBC CEO as Consul General of the Kenyan mission in Los Angeles, USA.