PHOTO CAPTION: President Uhuru Kenyatta's niece and KICC chief executive Nana Gecaga The Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) a once iconic Kenyan landmark, is on its knees.
Mismanagement, impunity, and petty politics inspired by CEO Nana Gecaga's blind loyalty to her uncle, outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, have taken a heavy toll on the organization and its entire workforce.
Ms. Gecaga was appointed to the organization on 1st April 2016 as the acting Managing Director (MD) pending the selection of a substantive CEO.
Writing to us on Saturday, 10th September 2022, a staffer who sought anonymity revealed that during her 6-year tenure, employees have endured endless bullying and intimidation.
Drunk on proximity to power, she even went to the extent of tapping their private mobile phone calls with the unlawful help of top ranking government operatives.
To ensure nobody calls her out for victimizing the helpless employees, Ms. Gecaga has regularly shaken up the leadership hierarchy at KICC by constantly changing Board Directors and replacing them with her cronies.
The source further claims this was done with the help of rogue State House mandarins.
Not even her own boss, Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala, had the power to fight back.
Recently, she illegally awarded herself a salary increment meant for all staff through a re-categorization of the institution from a C7 category to an A7 category.
Despite the Treasury coughing out over Sh400m for the entire project: to cater for salary increments and maintenance of the 28-storey building, workers on the ground are yet to receive their arrears.
On the other hand, Ms. Gecaga has, since February 202, been awarding herself hefty allowances amounting to millions.
Treasury awarded the organisation Sh400 million shillings to cater for the salary increment and maintenance of the aged building.
She has since February 2021 awarded only herself and paid herself the arrears and has refused to implement the same for the staff. As previously highlighted in this blog , Ms. Gecaga's papers are once again questioned. ICYMI: Slayqueen Nana Gecaga On The Spot For Fake Academic Papers, Mismanagement And Employee Mistreatment The source alleges she drew her position without meeting the required qualifications.
Her CV was reportedly drafted by Staff in Balala's office a few days before she took up the job.
A private inquiry into her claims of seating a master's program at the United States International University (USIU) in 2020 brought back conflicting results, as there was no trace of her at the campus throughout the year.
In the submission attached below this post, the source further reveals that Ms. Gecaga is currently plotting a quiet exit following the expiration of her scandal-laden at KICC.
She apparently now aims to be appointed the CEO of the Kenya Tourism Board and have the current CEO of KTB Dr Betty Radier move over to KICC. "Good evening Sir, I hope you are well. Allow me to share some information on how impunity and injustice has been perpetuated in KICC by one Nana Gecaga, CEO of KICC. Being the niece of the outgoing President Uhuru Kenyatta, Nana has wielded power most cabinet secretaries can only dream of. She has used and abused this proximity to power to her own gain and brought this iconic institution to its knees. Let me elaborate. Recently, a request by UDA presidential candidate and current president HE William Ruto called her to book for space to carry out the launch of the UDA manifesto. Her loyalty to despot Uhuru blinded her, and she did not respond to his calls, despite him calling her three times. She instead offered the space to Wajakoyah of the hyena testicles fame. Secondly, she has illegally awarded herself a salary increment meant for all staff through a re-categorization of the institution from a C7 category to an A7 category. Treasury awarded the organisation Sh400 million shillings to cater for the salary increment and maintenance of the aged building. She has since February 2021 awarded only herself and paid herself the arrears and has refused to implement the same for the staff. Third, she has no qualifications to hold the position. Two former Tourism Ministry staff typed her CV in Balala's office and she had no work experience whatsoever, neither does she have a degree. All her documents are fake and paid for. Recently she claims to have done a master's program at USIU during the Covid-19 pandemic but paid someone else to do the exams because no one saw her or heard of her and her shrill, annoying voice at all. Recorded voice of that student is available if need be. Fourth, she has over the years bullied and stepped on employees of the organisation by threatening them with arrests through DCI and listening to their phone calls with NIS help. She has victimized many and staff turnover is over the roof. Fifth, she has, with the help of State House mandarins, changed the list of Board of Directors for KICC twice if not thrice over. Every time the CS tourism Najib Balala sends a list to the State House, a different one with her cronies is gazetted. Being a principled man, CS Balala has time and again refused to give appointment letters to these fake board members. They earn allowances illegally and should pay them back to the taxpayers. Any audit done by the auditor general never features these anomalies. Sixth, her second term is up. She has misused the organisation's funds and wants to have a smooth exit without any follow-up audit or prosecution. She has conjured an elaborate plan to escape this. She wants to be appointed the CEO of the Kenya Tourism Board and have the curent CEO of KTB Dr. Betty Radier move over to a KICC. A swap for both of them to hide their mischief and cover for each other. How will this happen you may ask? Recent board appointments of both organizations include Joe Wamae, an FCPA from Deloitte, who was in KICC board, moved to KTB to smooth the interview for Nana when the time comes. Aditya Kamani, who is a long-time friend of Nana and MD of Diani Reef Resort, has been appointed to the board. The rest include Joanned Mwangi Yelbert who is also a long-term friend of the Kenyatta family. The rest of the members are all Betty Radier's friends and cronies and will ensure a smooth interview and confirmation for Nana. This according to the Tourism Act will grant Nana a board position at KICC, hence controlling further the institution she has killed. Betty Radier has also chosen many of her friends, that is, Amina Abubakar formerly of Ogilvy & Mather who was Radier's colleague to be in the board of KICC, Mr Laban Chege an auditor and former UPA insurance CFO and a personal friend of the Kenyatta family to be part of the board. At the same time, they have engineered the appointment of Fatma Muses, a former advisor to Balala, as chair of the KICC board to ensure a smooth swap for the two," writes the source.