Nock reinstates suspended boss

Suspended National Oil Corporation (Nock) chief executive Sumayya Athmani has been reinstated.

Petroleum PS Andrew Kamau confirmed her return to the helm Tuesday hours after deputy President William Ruto had made the announcement in Malindi.

Mr Ruto announced Ms Athmani’s reinstatement on Monday evening during a campaign rally for the Jubilee Alliance Party candidate in the forthcoming parliamentary by-elections in Malindi.

The board of the State-owned National Oil early this month suspended Ms Athmani, who hails from Malindi, to pave the way for investigations into the company that reportedly made a loss of Sh270 million in the six months to last December.

The company does not make its financial statements public, making it difficult to verify the loss claims.

The suspension had taken a political twist, as politicians from the coastal town claimed it was prompted by a witch-hunt.

Mr Kamau said Tuesday that the Nock chief executive had not been suspended but sent on compulsory leave pending the start of the audit.

“It wasn’t suspension but a compulsory leave in the days leading to the audit. The audit commences on Thursday (tomorrow) and as such she has been recalled to offer assistance,” the PS told the Business Daily on phone. The audit will be conducted by consultancy firm PwC.

The suspension had seen Ms Athmani defend her tenure on social media site Twitter, saying that under her leadership the corporation had more than tripled its profit and doubled its assets.

She has been at the helm of the oil marketer for the past five years.