Trade Ministry appeals order to appoint Ezekiel Oduwor as EPZ CEO

The Ministry of Industrialization is appealing the appointment of Ezekiel Oduwor as the new CEO of the Export Processing Zone Authority (EPZA).

This after the Employment and Labour Relations Court ordered industrialization CS Betty Mania to appoint Ezekiel Oduwor. The ministry had revoked Oduwor’s appointment saying it did not follow proper procedure.

Documents seen by Citizen Digital, reveal the back and forth between the EPZA chairman Paul Gicheru and the Ministry of Trade officials, with the State Corporation Advisory Committee saying Oduwor's appointment was contrary to the law as the CS is the only appointing authority.

The letter from the State corporation’s advisory committee under the executive office of the president said that the only appointing authority of a CEO is the cabinet secretary following the recommendations of the board of directors.

Further, the letter directs the board of directors to promptly withdraw Ezekiel Oduwor's appointment as it has no legal capacity to issue the same.

The letter further warns that the standoff will leave the corporation without a substantive CEO a situation that will disable its operations.

The letter also advises the CS to appoint an acting CEO to allow for continuity of business until such a time when a substantive CEO will be appointed.

The agency board has struggled to recruit a CEO since Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya axed Fanuel Odede Kideda as the EPZ Chief Executive in September 2018 and named George Makateto to replace him.

EPZ authority had been riddled by scandals including a Ksh.1.3 billion tender inflation claim where 13 companies received hundreds of millions of shillings for goods and services that were never supplied, while other contracts were awarded to firms associated with board members and top government officials.