Anti-riot police yesterday were called in to quell a protest by Bandari Sacco members at the Kenya Ports Authority. The members were protesting against the sacking of CEO Ragama Ogutu.
Protesters stormed the sacco’s boardroom, where treasurer Moses Mugambi and secretary Robert Ziro were addressing the press. They demanded Ogutu be given a chance to explain himself before he is dismissed. Ogutu held a briefing and immediately he was through, he was whisked inside. Ogutu says he was dismissed because he unearthed a fraudulent ATM transaction in which Sh4 million belonging to 13,000 members was lost.
The fraud, Ogutu says, was in form of vandalism and was carried out by Mugambi, Ziro and their accomplices. The CEO said some officers have been transferred while others have been promoted in the cover-up. “I’m not leaving. I am ready to take a bullet for my members,” he said.
Compulsory leave
But Mugambi denied the claim. He said Ogutu has not been sacked but was sent on compulsory leave after he unlawfully signed the renewal of his three-year contract himself. The 30-day leave was to begin on April 6. ”The serious oversight had to be dealt with immediately as Ragama was obviously not lawfully serving as a director of the sacco,” Mugambi said. But Ogutu said Mugambi refused to sign his contract. “Two people have to sign my contract. It is usually signed during board meetings, which the treasurer has never attended.” Mugambi and Ziro are responsible for signing of contracts.
Mugambi said Ogutu refused to receive his leave letter so they involved the police. But Ogutu said: “They handed the letter at 7pm and I could not pick it at that time. I told them to drop it at my office the following morning. The following day I was told chairman Gerald Ojung’a has it and could not get it.”
