Former MultiChoice Africa boss Stephen Isaboke.
A parliamentary committee wants President William Ruto’s nomination of former MultiChoice Africa boss, Mr Stephen Isaboke, as Principal Secretary for Broadcasting and Telecommunication rejected.
In a memorandum to the National Assembly, the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture (PIC-SSAA) has cited his Sh1.4 billion commercial interest in GOtv Kenya, which is owned by MultiChoice Africa.
This, the team reckons, will lead to conflict of interest as he will be co-running a ministry where he has personal commercial interest.
The Parliamentary committee report says Mr Isaboke, who is former MultiChoice Group Executive and head of Regulatory Affairs, has 10 percent shareholding at GOtv Kenya.
“Any further collaboration between the government of Kenya and GOtv Kenya will be conflicted as long as Mr Stephen Isaboke is at the helm of the State department for Broadcasting and Telecommunication,” warns PIC-SSAA chairperson Emmanuel Wangwe, who is also Navakholo MP.
Suitability to serve as PS
Former MultiChoice Africa boss Stephen Isaboke.
However, the recommendation to reject his nomination is only advisory to the House because the committee that will decide the suitability of Mr Isaboke is the one that vetted him on April 4, that is, the committee on Communication, Information and Innovation led by Dagoretti South MP John Kiarie.
The National Assembly is this week expected to consider the team's report on his suitability to serve as PS.
GOtv is a digital terrestrial television (DTT) service owned by MultiChoice, a company that also operates DStv satellite TV service.
If the House adopts the position of PIC-SSAA, President Ruto will have no choice but to nominate somebody else as PS.
He was nominated by President Ruto on March 20, 2025, to replace Prof Edward Kisiangani.
His name, alongside the 13 other PS nominees for various State departments, was transmitted to the National Assembly for vetting.
Prof Kisiangani was stripped of the PS role and named to the President’s Council of Economic Advisors. He had frosty relations with the media.
How he got the shares
The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation offices.
Mr Isaboke came to own the GOtv shares after a planned deal with the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) fell through. Since 2012, KBC was in talks with MultiChoice over a potential partnership but eventually declined to pursue the deal.
The talks began around the time of inception of GOtv services in 2012.
“KBC was offered to come in as a local shareholder for 40 percent in GOtv Kenya. The funding for the shareholding would be structured as 30 percent to be funded by KBC and 10 percent in consideration of collocation and assistance in applying for frequencies,” the memorandum states.
Collocation is the sharing of equipment. In this case, GOtv wanted to use KBC equipment including its masts across the country.
The memorandum notes that the parties were engaged in negotiations and discussions for “close to a decade”—between 2012 and 2021.
But the State broadcaster declined to take up the offered 40 percent shares citing a regulatory restriction on operators being shareholders in more than one broadcasting signal distributor—given KBC’s shareholding in Signet. It also cited lack of funds to see the deal through.
“According to GOtv submissions, the shares that KBC declined to take up were later allocated to Mr Isaboke as a loan payable by MultiChoice Africa,” the memorandum reads, adding; “the committee is of the view that the nominee will be suited to serve in any other state department to avoid conflict of interest.”
dmwere@ke.nationmedia.com
