This archive report was first published on 14 July 2020.
On February 2020, the National Aids Control Council (NACC) placed an advertisement in the national dailies for the position of Chief Executive Officer, without the knowledge of its Human Resource Directorate or the Legal Department.
The advertisement was placed in February 2020, and the Legal Department was not aware of who drafted it, raising doubts about the process.
Following the controversy, the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) wrote to the NACC board in response to complaints of irregularities and favouritism in the appointment of Dr Ruth Laibon-Masha as the new CEO.
"We received the complaints, and we have responded to the EACC," said NACC Board Angeline Siparo.
Dr Laibon-Masha has worked for the UNAids Kenya office, ActionAid, and Family Health Options Kenya, and has a PhD in Public Health from Jomo Kenyatta University.
However, some of the deputy directors who applied for the position had more impressive resumes, including Mr Dennis Kamuren, an MBA holder from the University of Nairobi with 15 years in management, and Emmy Chesire, a PhD holder in Public Health with over 29 years' experience in public service.
The transition from the leadership of Dr Nduku Kilonzo, who had been in office since 2014, began last year, and the drama has threatened to compromise the body's work, including fake emails created to circulate salacious accusations and threats of exposing the outgoing director.
