Why lobby group wants National Oil Chairman, MD fired

Kenya’s biggest consumer lobby group the Consumer Federation of Kenya (COFEK) is drumming support from members of the public asking them to sign a petition to the president to dismiss the National Oil Corporation of Kenya chairman and Managing director.

According to COFEK the National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) has failed to stabilize fuel prices, occasioned high food and transport costs hence higher inflation.

COFEK also accuses Summaya Hassan Athmani and Peter Munga sent packing for presiding over a corrupt regime which the lobby group says has seen even the Ethics & Anti-Corruption Commission demand prosecution for abuse of office, in vain.

COFEK in asking its members to sign the petition argues that it is highly unlikely that the cabinet secretary incharge of energy and petroleum David Chirchir will take any action against the two.

“Article 1(1) of the Constitution of Kenya says that sovereign power belongs to you (the people of Kenya) who are at liberty to exercise it directly. At Cofek, we urge you to look at this petition purely as a consumer who has everything to lose if the status quo is maintained.” Says COFEK.

The petition comes even as the CEO’s contract is set to expire on March 28 having been appointed in March 28th 2011 for a 3 year term.

COFEK alleges that Summaya is yet to reapply for her position despite being required to apply 6 months prior to her contract expiry should she require an extension.

The public institution was recently humiliated after the Energy Regulatory Commission named one of its stations among 16 nabbed selling adulterated products.

“We the undersigned persons, through the Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek), do hereby petition H.E President Uhuru Kenyatta to immediately dismiss National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) Chairman Mr Peter Munga and Mrs Sumayya Athmani, current Chairperson and CEO respectively from public service. The two have consistently failed to offer leadership. As such the principal institutional role of stabilizing fuel prices has miserably failed at the expense of petroleum consumers. This has resulted in higher transport and food costs thus pushing up inflation further,” reads the petition.