The 51-year-old Peter Ndegwa takes over East Africa’s most profitable company-SAFARICOM PLC–not only on April fools day, which was irrelevant this year thanks to COVID-19, but also at a time when the economy is starting to feel the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.
The widespread of this Chinese virus will affect, perhaps has already affected, all sectors and may impact his first year in office. This, however, is not the only thing on his neck, there is a pilling pressure to fire Sylvia Mulinge, Safaricom’s Chief Customer Officer who is facing a myriad of accusations. She should be, why not? Mulinge has been chumbling Safaricom since 2006.
Reputation.
A good reputation and respect are worth much more than silver and gold just as Robert Greene states in his 48 Laws of Power ‘So Much Depends On Reputation Guard It With Your Life’. Reputation is the cornerstone of power. Through reputation alone you can intimidate and win; once it slips, however, you are vulnerable and will be attacked on all sides. Make your reputation unassailable.
Since the era of the Late Bob Collymore- RIP to him but he is the father of all this mess- Safaricom PLC has been trying to clear their rotten brand name thanks to atrocious characters they keep recycling. Sylvia Mulinge, Safaricom killer director alias Chief Customer Officer (CCO) is a perfect example.
Is she really that bad to an extent Safaricom’s Board can’t sign afford to stand on her way? Safaricom has a million problems and Sylvia Mulinge alone makes three-quarter of them. One wonders why she is kept only to add the worst to its bad reputation! She should be let go.
As I had said, Collymore was the father of this mess and Peter Ndegwa should mob it before entering. She was appointed late last year as CCO after a bid to head the Tanzania Vodacom hit a snag. These are the words of late Bob Collymore, immediate Former Safaricom CEO.
“SYLVIA WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR LEADING SAFARICOM’S CUSTOMER OBSESSION AND WILL BE IN CHARGE OF CONSUMER BUSINESS, SALES OPERATIONS, CUSTOMER CARE SERVICE, BRAND MARKETING & EXPERIENCE, DIGITAL AND MARKET DEVELOPMENT,” SAID MR COLLYMORE IN AN EMAIL TO STAFF SENT ON FRIDAY, NOV 2, 2018, THE SAME DAY THE APPOINTMENTS BECAME EFFECTIVE.
Should Peter Ndegwa start by firing Sylvia Mulinge?
Yes, hasn’t he already? The only way Safaricom will move on and have a bit of a new start as the New CEO stated will be by firing Sylvia Mulinge.
How does a company says they value customer satisfaction and safety not only employ but also reemploy Sylvia Mulinge yet she is facing murder charges? Not to mention massive bribe allegations!
It only happens in Kenya- will Peter Ndegwa fall in that trap and let it slide? That would be a terrible start, worse than the whole COVID-19 mess. Why wasn’t she accepted as the Vodacom Tanzania Head?
In April 2018, Vodacom Tanzania named Sylvia Mulinge, at the time Head of Business at Kenya’s biggest telecoms operator Safaricom to take up their CEO post. She was meant to take up her position on June 1, 2018.
However, in September of the same year, Vodacom Tanzania said the government had denied its incoming chief executive officer, Sylvia Mulinge, a work permit, and it would have to restart the recruitment process. Vodacom controls 32 per cent market share of the country’s 40 million mobile subscribers.
“Vodacom Tanzania can confirm that it has received notice from the Labour Commissioner declining a work permit application for Sylvia Mulinge as CEO of Vodacom Tanzania,” it said in a statement.
Ali Mufuruki, Vodacom Tanzania’s Chairman, told Reuters the company had been given reasons by the government, but it cannot disclose them. Mufuruki said it was up to the Tanzanian government to give the reasons. But, we all know its because she is a murderer and has worked terribly hard to cover this coldblooded mess-up in vain.
“Naturally, we are disappointed, and we regret the Labour Commissioner’s decision. We will be engaging with the authorities. We are confident that Vodacom Tanzania has a strong management team in place to lead the company effectively until the search for a suitable candidate is finalised,” Vodacom Tanzania Chairman Ali Mufuruki said.
Murderer?
When Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Noordin Haji was taking Oath of Office he promised to go against his corrupt predecessor Keriako Tobiko who had ‘buried’ the murder case against Mulinge and even promised to appeal. He has done nothing to date and the appeal which was 14th April 2019 varnished like Jubilee Stadiums.
The family of Mary Kusa Etale, a young girl who was brutally murdered by the vehicle driven by Safaricom’s Chief Customer Officer Ms Sylvia Wairimu Mulinge is left dangling on a hopeless future. Bored nights shredded by short memories of their daughter.
Such a heartless human, is she a mother? A young girl died and she slept on it like a retired special forces years after service in war-torn Afghanistan, perhaps Syria.
Ms. Mulinge first compromised the officers at the Langata Police Station where the case was reported under occurrence book as entry 3/01/02/2015. Booked as Sylvia Wairimu Njuguna and not Sylvia Wairimu Mulinge. The misrepresentation of facts by the police meant that the case when it came to Judge Odunga it fell. She then pocketed POs and IOs in the case. Court officials are said to have been compromised too.
Where is DPP Noordin Haji? Where did the case go? The office of the Director of Public Prosecutions isn’t even talking about it. DCI doesn’t bother to follow up on their investigations? Did they conduct them in the first place?
@SafaricomLtd's Sylvia Mulinge to appear in court on 20/11/17 to plead to charge of causing death by dangerous driving pic.twitter.com/czuvE2pX30
— Office of The Director Of Public Prosecutions (@ODPP_KE) November 13, 2017
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Nicholas Mutuku in November 2017 said Ms Mulinge will be charged afresh after the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) filed a case at the Kibera Chief Magistrate’s court without the approval of the ODPP. Mr Mutuku also accused the police of mishandling the case and asked the officer in charge of prosecutions at Kibera law courts to file a new case.
A local tabloid that is associated with a controversial blogger and whistleblower Cyprian Nyakundi highlighted how Sylvia Mulinger covered up her murder case in the article titled ” How Safaricom Killer Director Sylvia Mulinge Got Away With Murder”
How will the next powerful Safaricom Director know that driving drunk, overspeeding and killing minors has consequences if DCI and DPP remain mum?
In an interview with The Nation, Peter Ndegwa said the best leaders are known in times of crisis adding that he is keen to steer Safaricom through this period and help chart its future given the decline in the traditional sources of revenues such as voice.
“It is time to serve my country. There are two things that I value most — humility and integrity. Integrity is about doing what you say and humility is knowing that there is always something more you can do. I like getting things done. The best strategy is about solving the problems faced by our customers and this is part of my DNA. I also like things simple,” he said.
The first thing he should get it done is laying off the argute Sylvia Mulinge. The coronavirus pandemic has changed everything and he should not carry us a joke. Not on the April’s fools day to say the least.
Ndegwa is an economist and accountant by profession, has just returned from climbing Mt Kilimanjaro as he prepares to take over from Michael Joseph, who was put in charge as a caretaker following the death of Bob Collymore last year.
Peter Ndegwa, the new Safaricom CEO, is a man of great credentials and should surround himself with hardworking and untainted people. His CV alone leaves him a perspicacious folk. Working with individuals like the argute Sylvia Mulinge would be an insult to his astute stature.
