NGO board in hot soup over change of signatories
Non-Governmental Coordination Board chief executive Fazul Mohammed speaks before the Administration and National Security Committee on July 30, 2015. He has been told to answer a matter concerning the approval of change of signatories of a certain organisation. PHOTO | JEFF ANGOTE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- As a result, millions of shillings may have been fraudulently wired from the account of the Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa.
The NGOs Coordination Board is on the spot after it allegedly authorised the change of bank signatories of an organisation that seeks to promote credible elections in Africa.
As a result, millions of shillings may have been fraudulently wired from the account of the Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa using fake minutes and signatures.
Documents seen by the Nation yesterday indicated that the Kenyan chapter of the institute purportedly held a board meeting on November 21 that resolved to remove Mr Felix Odhiambo as a signatory to the NIC Bank account EISA-1 No.1000020617 and EISA -5 No. 1002501300 as well as retire him as secretary of the board of directors and member of the EISA Kenya board.
He was instead replaced by Mr Catherine Kavata Musuva.
The board meeting’s minutes were then deposited at the NGO board, which later wrote to NIC informing it of the purported changes.
“The board has therefore approved the organisation’s request to change its signatories and operate a KES account with your bank…” read the letter dated December 19, 2016.
But in a fresh twist, a former director who now works for the African Union Commission denounced the said meeting.
In a sworn affidavit before the African Union Legal Counsel, Mr Robert Gerenge said that at no time did he sign any document or minutes of EISA Kenya board’s deliberations.
He said he received an email on December 2, 2016 containing minutes of yet another meeting said to have been held on November 23, from Mrs Ilona Tip, the institute’s Operations Director in South Africa.
“She asked me to sign and send it back to her by email and DHL,” said Mr Gerenge.
He however refused to sign.
Mr Odhiambo’s lawyer Apollo Mboya has now written to the NGO board, through its chief executive Fazul Mohammed, seeking answers.
