Ruto Appoints Mary Wambui as Communications Authority Chairperson

A collage of President William Ruto and businesswoman Mary Wambui Mungai
A collage of President William Ruto and businesswoman Mary Wambui Mungai

President Ruto has appointed businesswoman, Mary Wambui Mungai, as the chairperson of the Communications Authority of Kenya for three years, effective on Friday, December 2.

Wambui took over from Gilbert Kibe who had served for less than a year

"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 (1) (a) of the Kenya Information and Communications Act, I William Ruto, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces of the Republic of Kenya...,"

"...Appoint Mary Wambui Mungai to be the Chairperson of the Board of Communications Authority of Kenya, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 2nd December 2022," read part of the statement.

City billionaire and Purma Holdings, Mary Wambui Mungai, appears before the Anti-Corruption Court in Nairobi on Wednesday, January 26.
City billionaire and Purma Holdings Director, Mary Wambui Mungai, in Nairobi on Wednesday, January 26, 2022.

Ruto added that the appointment of Gilbert Kibe was revoked.

Notably, Kibe Gilbert was appointed by former President Uhuru Kenyatta in May 2022.

Before his appointment he, served as the Director General of the Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) among other roles.

Kibe resigned hours before the head of state appointed Wambui as the body's chairperson.

"I hereby tender my resignation as Chairman of the Board of Communications Authority of Kenya with effect from December 1, 2022, due to personal interests," he stated in a letter addressed to Ruto.

As the chairperson, Wambui will oversee the operations at the Communications Authority.

Some of the functions include, licensing systems and services in the communication industry, facilitating the development and management of a national cyber security framework as well as facilitating the development of e-commerce.

In 2017, the tycoon was among 13 billionaires funding the re-election of retired President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

Gilbert Kibe
A photo of former Communication Authority Board Chairperson Capt. Gilbert Kibe at a past event.
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