Chairman GOtv Kenya Stephen Isaboke before the Public Investment Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture at Parliament buildings Nairobi on December 14, 2023 to appraise the committee on the business partnership between Kenya Broadcasting Corporation and GOtv Kenya.
A National Assembly committee wants President William Ruto to re-assign Principal Secretary nominee Mr Stephen Isaboke another State department other than the Broadcasting and Telecommunications for which he was vetted for, citing his “potential conflict of interest”.
In a report to the House, the Communication, Information and Innovation Committee chaired by Dagoreti South MP John Kiarie wants Mr Isaboke’s appointment “approved subject to the condition that he be re-assigned."
The committee made the recommendation to the House after considering a memorandum by the Public Investments Committee on Social Services, Administration and Agriculture (PIC-SSAA) chaired by Navakholo MP Emmanuel Wangwe, which raised the conflict of interest issues as it linked Mr Isaboke to part ownership of GOtv Africa Limited.
“In order to avert any potential conflict of interest relating to part ownership of GOtv Kenya limited, the appointing authority re-assigns the nominee a different State department upon taking oath of office,” the committee’s report reads.
The vetting committee relied on precedent set by the Defense and Foreign Relations Committee in the 12th Parliament chaired by then Kajiado South MP Katoo Ole Metito, the current State House Comptroller, during the consideration of the nomination for appointment of Ms Mwende Mwinzi as Kenya’s Ambassador to South Korea.
While recommending to the National Assembly to approve Ms Mwinzi for appointment, the Defense and Foreign Relations committee included a conditional clause that she cedes her US citizenship citing potential conflict of interest.
Former MultiChoice Africa boss Stephen Isaboke.
However, the resolution of the House was overlooked as then President Uhuru Kenyatta went on to appoint Ms Mwinzi as Kenya’s Ambassador to South Korea without renouncing her US citizenship.
Given that the recommendation of the committee is not cast in law, President Ruto could ignore it once the House agrees with the recommendations of the committee to approve the nominee.
Alternatively, the House may adopt the committee’s report with amendments striking off the conditional clause, effectively allowing the president to appoint Mr Isaboke to serve in the State Department as nominated.
However, Mr Isaboke, in his response to the PIC-SSAA memorandum noted that following his nomination by the president, “I have subsequently issued notice of resignation as director of GOtv Kenya in a bid to address any potential conflict of interest.”
“If approved, I intend to take further steps as to my shareholding. I strongly deny that my nominated position as PS will put me in a position of conflict because I will recuse myself from any decisions touching on this entity,” stated Mr Isaboke.
He added; “in addition to my resignation, as a director, I intend to review my continued shareholding with GOtv.”
The PIC-SSAA memorandum drew the attention of the House to the fact that the appointment of Mr Isaboke will be convoluted with his personal commercial interest- his 10 percent shareholding at GOtv Kenya.
PIC- SSAA made its position clear on Mr Isaboke following its findings on examination of Auditor-General's report on the accounts of the State-owned Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) for the financial year 2016/17, relating to an unexplained decrease of dividends.
Conflict of interest
“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 Mr Wangwe.
GOtv is a digital terrestrial television (DTT) service owned by MultiChoice, a company that also operates DStv satellite TV service.
Mr Isaboke, the former MultiChoice Group executive and head of regulatory affairs 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.
From left: PS nominees Nixon Korir, Teresia Mbaika, Raymond Omollo, and Julius Bitok.
Prof Kisiangani was stripped of the PS role and named to the President’s Council of Economic Advisors.
Mr Wangwe said after meeting the management of KBC on the auditor-General's report, it was established that MultiChoice Africa submitted an intention to partner with KBC in GOtv Kenya at the 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.
It notes that the parties were engaged in negotiations and discussions for “close to a decade”- between 2012 and 2021- “with the intention to enter into a shareholding partnership in respect of GOtv.
But the State broadcaster declined to take up the offered 40 percent shares citing the regulatory restriction on operators being shareholders in more than one broadcasting signal distributor- KBC’s shareholding in Signet as well as the lack of funds.
PIC-SSAA established that KBC did not also take up the 10 percent then worth Sh1.4 billion, in colocation and assistance in applying for frequencies.
“According to GOtv submissions, the share 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.”
But Mr Isaboke in a response to the vetting committee has disputed this.
“It is not correct that the shares declined by KCB were allocated to myself. The correct position is that MultiChoice Africa owned 100 percent of GOtv since it is the one that fully funded it,” Mr Isaboke says.
