Martha Karua Faults Appointment of Michael Joseph as Safaricom Interim CEO

Kenyan politician Martha Karua has criticized the appointment of Michael Joseph as Safaricom's interim CEO.

Joseph was picked by Safaricom Board to serve in the position on an acting capacity following the death of Bob Collymore. 

“Following the passing of the company’s CEO, at a Special Board meeting of the Directors, the board resolved to appoint Michael Joseph, a Board member of the Company as the interim CEO with immediate effect,” Safaricom said in a statement on Tuesday.

The 61-year-old passed on at his Nairobi residence on Monday after a long battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, a type of cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow.

Taking to Twitter, Karua said the appointment of Joseph, 67, was an indication that the board lacks confidence in senior Safaricom officials.

"Not good at all, this looks like a vote of no confidence on all the senior guys @SafaricomPLC and talks volumes of a deficit in succession planning!" Karua tweeted.

Joseph, who is the current Chairman of Kenya Airways Board, served as Safaricom CEO from July 2000 to November 2010 and was succeeded by Collymore.