Former Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) CEO Ezekiel Mutua has been ordered to refund Ksh 27 million to the government, following a tribunal ruling that found he benefited from an irregular salary increase and unauthorized allowances during his tenure.
Highlights
- Mutua received an unapproved salary bump from Ksh 348K to Ksh 1.1M per month.
- The tribunal found the pay rise was done without approval from SRC or the Cabinet Secretary.
- He has 30 days to file an appeal or start the repayment process.
- The irregular payments were made over a three-year period.
Main Story
The ruling by the State Corporations Appeal Tribunal revealed that Mutua’s monthly salary was more than tripled, jumping from Ksh 348,840 to Ksh 1,115,850. This adjustment was implemented without clearance from the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), as required for all state officers.
According to the tribunal, Mutua and members of the KFCB board facilitated the increment in defiance of government regulations, making the payments both irregular and unlawful.n
The salary changes and allowances, which were paid over a period of three years, totalled Ksh 27,612,360. Under the State Corporations Act, the Inspectorate of State Corporations issued a surcharge notice to recover the funds from Mutua. His appeal was dismissed this month, meaning he now has 30 days to either challenge the ruling in court or begin repaying the money.
While Ezekiel Mutua has not publicly commented on the tribunal’s decision, the ruling adds a new layer of controversy to his tenure at KFCB, where he was often described as Kenya’s “moral policeman” for his strict media and content policies.
For a man known for enforcing moral standards in media, Ezekiel Mutua now faces his own reckoning — with Ksh 27 million and public accountability hanging in the balance.
