After a long tussle between the Kenyan government and the Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) on matters regarding digital TV broadcasting migration, the government has bowed to the pressure to have a consumer representative on the Communications Commission of Kenya’s (CCK’s) board.
The government yesterday announced the position in a Kenyan newspaper that stated “interested persons may apply” to the permanent secretary at the Ministry of Information and Communication, Bitange Ndemo, via his email, [email protected].
The Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) has been urging the government to have a consumer representative on the CCK’s board in compliance with the Kenya Information and Communication Act (2009).
COFEK moved to court to have the CCK board reconstituted, and on January 28 the High Court gave the CCK time to comply with the law.
The communications act states under Section 6 that the Minister for Information and Communication must appoint a suitably qualified Kenyan with wide experience in consumer-related issues, especially in the ICT sector, to the CCK board.
The act further states that at least “one shall have knowledge or experience in consumer protection matters. The Minister shall have due regard to registered societies representing such matters in exercising his powers under this section”.
COFEK however does not seem happy with the advert and claims it did not state the law as it is in the act. They have promised to proceed with the case that is due for hearing on March 14, 2013.
“The ad inserted new requirements “especially in the Information and Communications Technology Sector” and avoided the requirements of “knowledge or experience in consumer protection matters” and that “The Minister shall have due regard to registered societies representing such matters in exercising his powers under this section,”” COFEK said in a response.
