Geza Ulole
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- Oct 31, 2009
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[h=1]Shelter Afrique accuses Kenya of fighting its MD[/h]
Shelter Afrique managing director Alassane Ba with Housing assistant minister Margaret Wanjiru and NSE chief executive Peter Mwangi at a past function. File
IN SUMMARY
Shelter Afrique has singled out Kenya as being behind attempts to cut short the tenure of the firms managing director. It has also accused its representative of issuing statements not supported by the board.
Corneille Karekezi, who was elevated to chair the firm in November last year, on Friday said he was not aware of a board resolution calling for replacement of the current managing director, Alassane Ba, in June as advanced by Tirop Kosgey, Kenyas representative to the board of Shelter Afrique.
Mr Kosgey, who is also the permanent secretary in the Housing ministry, maintains that his board committee will continue with the search for Mr Bas replacement in time for Shelter Afriques AGM in Chad this June.
But Mr Karekezi said Mr Bas replacement will have to wait until June 2014, deepening the boardroom split that has seen directors take sides over a case on the alleged assault of the Shelter Afriques finance director Karen Kandie by the managing director.
(Read: Shelter Afrique split over CEOs term)
At no point did the board decide to cancel the contract of the managing director and he will continue to serve in this capacity unless he opts to resign before his time is up, said Mr Karekezi in a telephone interview with the Business Daily on Friday.
The comment by Mr Tirop is his personal opinion on the matter and it should be regarded as such. I am only aware of one director who has commented contrary to the position held by the board, added Mr Karekezi who replaced Elias Mpondela as chair of the house financier in November.
Mr Ba is alleged to have physically assaulted Ms Kandie in his office on June 28 last year. In her statement to the police, Ms Kandie claimed this happened when she went to consult him regarding her end-of-year performance appraisals.
The house financier appointed UK firm Kroll Advisory to carry out an investigation following claims that Mr Ba assaulted Ms Kandie a spat that is in court and has seen MPs call for the deportation of Shelter Afrique managing director.
(Read: Shelter Afrique board sets up probe on Alassane Ba)
But Kroll report failed to identify who between the two executives was in the wrong, prompting the termination of Mr Bas contract and non-renewal of Ms Kandies term that had come to an end in November, according to Mr Kosgey.
The firm started the search for a new managing director and head of finance through adverts in local press and The Economist magazine and Ms Kosgey say the two executives will be ready for work from July.
The recruitment process will proceed as scheduled and we will have already started receiving applications from interested individuals, said Mr Kosgey.
We will present the new managing director at the AGM and this means that we need to have concluded the process by this time and informed the successful applicant in good time for this.
The UK firm raised a number of scenarios including reinstating Ms Kandie or push for an exit settlement with her. It also provided for termination of Mr Bas contract or to seek the managing director to resign and exit with dignity.
Mr Karekezi told the Business Daily that the Kroll report was not binding to the board.
Despite the findings of Kroll, the board at all times remains independent since we can make our own judgments based on the facts of the matter, said Mr Karekezi, adding that this informed the decision to let Mr Bas contact run to its end.
Shelter Afrique is owned by 43 African countries, the African Development Bank and Africa Re-Insurance Corporation.
But Kenyas stake at 11.92 per cent in December 2011 meant that it had the largest market share among the 43 countries. The African Development Bank owned 19.95 per cent.
The assault claims kicked off a diplomatic storm after Shelter Afrique faulted Foreign Affairs PS Thuita Mwangi and director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko for calling for the arrest of Mr Ba.
(Read: MPs demand deportation of Shelter Afrique MD)
The financier reckoned that Mr Ba enjoys diplomatic immunity that protects him from prosecution. Shelter Afrique argued that Mr Ba had been accused of wrongdoing before the conclusion of investigations.
Mr Ba moved to court and obtained orders stopping his arrest after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised that his diplomatic immunity could not stand in cases of assault and other criminal offences.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga also sought to have Mr Bas diplomatic immunity revoked or have him face the law over assault claims.
pmutegi@ke.nationmedia.com
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Shelter-Afrique-accuses-Kenya-of--fighting-its-MD/-/539550/1683488/-/view/printVersion/-/dy34s6/-/index.html
IN SUMMARY
- The firm's chair Corneille Karekezi said on Friday said he was not aware of a board resolution calling for replacement of the Alassane Ba as advanced by Tirop Kosgey, Kenyas representative to the board of Shelter Afrique.
- Mr Ba is alleged to have physically assaulted Ms Kandie in his office on June 28 last year.
Shelter Afrique has singled out Kenya as being behind attempts to cut short the tenure of the firms managing director. It has also accused its representative of issuing statements not supported by the board.
Corneille Karekezi, who was elevated to chair the firm in November last year, on Friday said he was not aware of a board resolution calling for replacement of the current managing director, Alassane Ba, in June as advanced by Tirop Kosgey, Kenyas representative to the board of Shelter Afrique.
Mr Kosgey, who is also the permanent secretary in the Housing ministry, maintains that his board committee will continue with the search for Mr Bas replacement in time for Shelter Afriques AGM in Chad this June.
But Mr Karekezi said Mr Bas replacement will have to wait until June 2014, deepening the boardroom split that has seen directors take sides over a case on the alleged assault of the Shelter Afriques finance director Karen Kandie by the managing director.
(Read: Shelter Afrique split over CEOs term)
At no point did the board decide to cancel the contract of the managing director and he will continue to serve in this capacity unless he opts to resign before his time is up, said Mr Karekezi in a telephone interview with the Business Daily on Friday.
The comment by Mr Tirop is his personal opinion on the matter and it should be regarded as such. I am only aware of one director who has commented contrary to the position held by the board, added Mr Karekezi who replaced Elias Mpondela as chair of the house financier in November.
Mr Ba is alleged to have physically assaulted Ms Kandie in his office on June 28 last year. In her statement to the police, Ms Kandie claimed this happened when she went to consult him regarding her end-of-year performance appraisals.
The house financier appointed UK firm Kroll Advisory to carry out an investigation following claims that Mr Ba assaulted Ms Kandie a spat that is in court and has seen MPs call for the deportation of Shelter Afrique managing director.
(Read: Shelter Afrique board sets up probe on Alassane Ba)
But Kroll report failed to identify who between the two executives was in the wrong, prompting the termination of Mr Bas contract and non-renewal of Ms Kandies term that had come to an end in November, according to Mr Kosgey.
The firm started the search for a new managing director and head of finance through adverts in local press and The Economist magazine and Ms Kosgey say the two executives will be ready for work from July.
The recruitment process will proceed as scheduled and we will have already started receiving applications from interested individuals, said Mr Kosgey.
We will present the new managing director at the AGM and this means that we need to have concluded the process by this time and informed the successful applicant in good time for this.
The UK firm raised a number of scenarios including reinstating Ms Kandie or push for an exit settlement with her. It also provided for termination of Mr Bas contract or to seek the managing director to resign and exit with dignity.
Mr Karekezi told the Business Daily that the Kroll report was not binding to the board.
Despite the findings of Kroll, the board at all times remains independent since we can make our own judgments based on the facts of the matter, said Mr Karekezi, adding that this informed the decision to let Mr Bas contact run to its end.
Shelter Afrique is owned by 43 African countries, the African Development Bank and Africa Re-Insurance Corporation.
But Kenyas stake at 11.92 per cent in December 2011 meant that it had the largest market share among the 43 countries. The African Development Bank owned 19.95 per cent.
The assault claims kicked off a diplomatic storm after Shelter Afrique faulted Foreign Affairs PS Thuita Mwangi and director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko for calling for the arrest of Mr Ba.
(Read: MPs demand deportation of Shelter Afrique MD)
The financier reckoned that Mr Ba enjoys diplomatic immunity that protects him from prosecution. Shelter Afrique argued that Mr Ba had been accused of wrongdoing before the conclusion of investigations.
Mr Ba moved to court and obtained orders stopping his arrest after the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advised that his diplomatic immunity could not stand in cases of assault and other criminal offences.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga also sought to have Mr Bas diplomatic immunity revoked or have him face the law over assault claims.
pmutegi@ke.nationmedia.com
http://www.businessdailyafrica.com/Corporate-News/Shelter-Afrique-accuses-Kenya-of--fighting-its-MD/-/539550/1683488/-/view/printVersion/-/dy34s6/-/index.html
