Ezekiel Mutua and Pop Artist Shanky Radics

Former CEO Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has joined the Music Copyright Society of Kenya as CEO.

“I have received with profound gratitude my appointment to the position of Chief Executive Officer of the Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK). Happy to rejoin the creative industry, this time not as a regulator, but as a promoter and defender of the rights of musicians,” said Dr. Ezekiel Mutua, MBS

Mutua made the announcement on Tuesday, saying he is committed to working with all artists to bring back sanity and professionalism in the industry.

“To all Kenyan musicians my message is simple: I will work for you and with you to make music profitable and meaningful. I will fight for you, defend your rights and put conversations about music at the front table like I did with film,” he said.

Mutua was sent on “terminal leave” by the KFCB board in August last year, and Christopher Wambua was appointed as acting CEO. Wambua is now serving as the KFCB CEO.

Following the dismal, The Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) kicked off an investigation on the former CEO over alleged irregular payments of salaries and allowances to him and a board member (Gathoni Kungu).

The former KFCB CEO moved to court to challenge his dismissal but lost the petition.

In her ruling, Justice Maureen Onyango stated Mutua had exceeded his term limit at KFCB, saying that the board acted “ultra vires(in excess of its powers) to appoint the applicant for a term of five years as he had exhausted the threshold of two terms of three years each.”

Justice Onyango further ruled that “appointing him for a term of five years is in contravention of Mwongozo and the Board’s HR Manual.

“Therefore, the letter of appointment dated 14th July 2021 appointing him is null and void.”

“Given the above, the orders of certiorari (declaration to nullify the decisions to send him on terminal leave) and prohibition were not granted.”

Ezekiel Mutua Loses Petition Challenging Dismissal