Ezra Chiloba, the former IEBC Chief Executive Officer, is turning out to be the proverbial cat with nine lives. Just when Kenyans had forgotten him since he left the electoral commission in 2018 after the 2017 election, he was last year appointed as a member of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund board for three years.
And now – surprise! – he has just secured another high-profile government job. Mr Chiloba has been appointed Director-General of the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), the government-run communications regulator, for a renewable term of four years. In a statement issued on Tuesday, 28th September 2021, the authority’s board chairman Kembi Gitura said Mr Chiloba’s appointment takes effect immediately.
“The appointment follows a competitive recruitment process to fill the position left vacant with the retirement of the former Director General, Francis Wangusi,” reads the statement.
Mr Chiloba replaces Mercy Wanjau, who has been the DG since 2019 but in an acting capacity. Mrs Wanjau’s fate is not yet clear but she is likely to return to her previous job as consultant with KPMG South Africa Ms Wanjau took over from Francis Wangusi. Francis Wangusi assumed his role as Director-General back in 2012.
Mr Chiloba is a policy consultant and Principle Partner with Chimp and Kemp consultancy and an Advocate of the High Court of Kenya. He appointment is likely to spark debate especially given the critical role Communications Authority plays and coming just before the general elections.
Mr Chiloba found himself on the receiving end after the annulled 2017 presidential elections which was blamed on malfunctioning of voting kits.
Prior to Chiloba’s exit, IEBC Chairman Wafula Chebukati had suspended him over procurement issues at the commission.
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Mr Chiloba holds an undergraduate degree in Law from the University of Nairobi, a Master of Arts degree from Central European University in Hungary and a Master of Science degree in Program Management from University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.
He also studied a Blockchain strategy program at Said Business School at University of Oxford. Mr Chiloba holds further training in Corporate Governance, Projects Management, Collaborative Leadership and Monitoring and Evaluation.
“The Board wishes to thank Mrs Mercy Wanjau, MBS who has been acting in the position of Director General of the Authority,” added the board.