A dispute has emerged at the Nairobi Club following audit queries that revealed the facility has a Sh100 million debt.
Seven officials were kicked out of the special general meeting on December 11, after members raised concerns on how the club was being run.
“This morning, on instructions from the management committee, the attempt by the four ex-committee members to usurp the club’s authority and make illegal resolutions was halted,” a press statement from the club read.
The special general meeting was meant to put the club in order and avert a dented image that could compromise its operations.
Yesterday, four officials who were kicked out on December 11 showed up with a court order but were stopped from holding a meeting at the club.
The four are retired Justice Mary Ang’awa, Nation Media Group business development manager David Aduda, President Uhuru Kenyatta’s former coffee task force head Joseph Keiyah and Jane Thirikali.
Other officials voted out on December 11 are Lilian Kagwiria, John Wali and Ken Mwindi. The three were not at yesterday’s meeting. Two other former officials — Julius Koros (chairman) and Fred Odhiambo — resigned before the December 11 meeting.
Club president and Britam director of marketing Muthoga Ngera obtained a court order before the meeting to stop members from discussing him until a suit is heard. However, it left all other board members open for discussion. “Members said it was difficult to know the truth of who was wrong and that the truth was that something was amiss,” the minutes of the meeting read.
The new interim officials are Ludmila Shitaka (chairman), Luke Musau (vice chairman), Leonard Mudachi, Alice Ndegwa, Yvonne Tharao, Michael Monari, and Francis Maina.
The 118-year-old club owned by 2,000 members demands potential members to pay Sh400,000 membership and Sh31,000 annual fee.
Members claim the ex-officials had on several occasions intimidated club employees by threatening to cause their sacking. “The last conversation was reported in the club incident report and via audio recording,” the minutes read.
The ex-officials coerced the club CEO to cancel a legally binding contract between the club and Backlite without express authority from the main committee and clearly not within their mandate, they said, adding the ex-officials failed to discharge their duties as stipulated in the Club rules.