Nairobi Star: Dr Kioko Mang'eli says fake goods fight caused his sacking

SACKED Kenya Bureau of Standards boss Dr Kioko Mang'eli left office yesterday saying he was the victim in a 'terrible war' against counterfeit goods.

Mang'eli, who was in the third month of his second three-year term as head of Kebs, handed over to the Director of Metrology and Testing Joel Kioko in a hurriedly convened press conference at the organisation's headquarters yesterday afternoon.

The meeting was presided over by Industrialization PS Prof John Lonyangapuo and senior Kebs officials.

"It's tribal and political. I was given the (sacking) letter yesterday but I wasn't given a chance to explain myself," a bitter Mang'eli told journalists at the meeting.

He claimed unnamed politicians who wanted to make money for 2012 election campaigns from counterfeit goods had hounded him out of office.

"I don't regret being pushed out, they will also not live in power," he said. "Tomorrow I might be the Prime Minister or President and I will be there with them."

Mang'eli was sacked on September 8 through a letter by head of civil service Francis Muthaura but vowed to stay on saying the sack was not procedural.

Ukambani politicians including Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka, Justice Minister Mutula Kilonzo and Mutito MP Kiema Kilonzo rushed to his support and faulted the Government for sacking him.

Police had recently been instructed to arrest Mang'eli if he showed up the bureau offices in South C.

His fate was finally sealed last Friday during a meeting at Harambee House between President Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, before the PM flew out to the United States.

Prof Lonyangapuo was instructed to inform Mang'eli of the orders and enforce the decision.

Yesterday, the PS skirted questions from the press but said Kioko would be the acting head until the board advertises the position, and a new MD is picked.

He heaped praise on the sacked director and said he managed to turn round fortunes of the bureau.

"Nobody failed and that's why the board appraised him," Lonyangapuo said.

Mang'eli accused leaders of cheating' the public on the financial position of Kebs. "As I leave, Kebs has Sh1.8 billion in the banks. They can go to National Bank and ask (managing di-rector Reuben) Marambii," he said, waving documents.

Muthaura had accused Mang'eli of seeking a pay rise after falsifying Kebs documents to show that he had turned the organisation's fortunes around.

The National Standards Council (Kebs board) had upped his salary from Sh480,000 to Sh 1,070,000.

Mang'eli however said the pay rise was decided at a meeting chaired by Minister of Public Service Dalmas Otieno.

The board had claimed the MD had turned Kebs' fortunes around from Sh300 million surplus in 2005-2006 to Sh826 million in the 2007-2008 financial year. However, audited financial statements show Kebs had a surplus of Sh288 million in 2006-2007 and Sh229 million in the period 2007-2008.

Mang'eli, who had also been accused of irregularly employing and promoting employees, was unrepentant and said he did so because Kebs had enough money.

"We've employed 150 people and increased salaries without receiving any money from the government," he said.



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