National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) Director General (DG) position interviews concluded Wednesday evening with its’ former no-nonsense Director of Compliance and Enforcement Benjamin Malwa Langwen topping the list of 8 applicants interviewed.
The return of Langwen at the helm of NEMA is likely to see a rejuvenated environmental watchdog in terms of better visibility, objectivity and financing needed to regulate the country’s environment now choked in filthy across the country.
“He demonstrated a clear understanding of the subject matter. Even those who tried to bring him down simply gave up. Langwen is excellent. His understanding of environment and EMCA law is unrivalled. I hope he will be given the right environment to steer NEMA”, a board member who spoke to Kenyan Bulletin on strict anonymity call over the sensitivity of the issue
Incidentally, the NEMA board was yet to formally forward the top three names to Environment Secretary Keriako Tobiko by the time we went to process at 3pm on Thursday.
Sources had told Kenyan Bulletin that the board was reportedly to convene, again, on Thursday morning. The Chief Human Resources Officer was reportedly tasked to prepare the recruitment report.
The development came against expectations that the ‘preferred candidate’, said to have been pushed by the National Treasury Secretary Ukur Yattani, one Mamo B. Mamo could not even make it to the top-three shortlist.
It is not clear whether Mamo will opt to return to his lower job as Deputy Director, Education and Awareness or not.
Other sources said he might be planning to leave the country to avoid being pursued over alleged sensitive offence of forgery of government documents and mishandling NEMA finances.
It appears that John Konchellah led board was keen to redeem its’ image in the wake of credible fears that the said Mr Mamo had forged crucial documents beyond having been unconvincingly and irregularly fast-tracked from Grade E6 to acting DG.
Former NEMA acting DG Dr Ayub Macharia, who was side-stepped for retired Prof Godfrey Wahungu during late Environment Minister John Michuki reign is said to have come a distant second.
It was during Dr Macharia’s period as acting DG that NEMA approved some of the most controversial EIA licenses – including the cancerous lead poisoning at Owino Uhuru village from a battery manufacturer. During his reign, Nakumatt Westgate was approved atop a river flowing through Westlands, Nairobi.
Director Planning and Research Coordination Dr Kennedy Ondimu came third.
Both Dr Macharia and Dr Ondimu are some of the officers who were seconded to the Ministry of Environment without any clear job title or job description. Others include the Procurement Manager.
A little known NGO sued NEMA and Mamo and a judgment on the same is expected Friday, March 6, 2020.
Procurement boss was reportedly replaced by a spouse of a diplomat – who was recalled back to the country and is allegedly on two salaries.
All eyes are now Keriako Tobiko to make formal announcement of the best candidate out of the interviews.
