Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) CEO Ezekiel Mutua has denied reports claiming he has been suspended from office, calling them baseless and fabricated.
Over the weekend, a false notice circulated on social media, alleging that Mutua had been barred from conducting MCSK business. The notice further stated that the company would not honor any contractual obligations tied to him.
On Monday, Mutua addressed the claims, dismissing them as malicious attempts to undermine his leadership and efforts to enforce compliance within the Society.
“I have been inundated with calls and messages by many people who thought the rumours were true. I managed to scan the social media platforms was shocked at how the falsehoods had spread despite the fact that the Chairman of the Board had actually issued a statement on the matter,” Mutua stated.
“Let me clarify: I am still in office. I have neither been sacked nor suspended. The bloggers spreading these lies would be better off visiting my office to confirm my status. CEOs are not suspended on a weekend,” he added.
Internal Disputes Within MCSK
Mutua acknowledged internal disputes within MCSK but stressed that all disciplinary actions must adhere to established procedures.
“The leadership wrangles only involve elected non-executive Directors, not the CEO or staff, who are subject to specific disciplinary protocols. The only crime I have committed against these people is to bar them from getting into the office without following the right procedure,” Mutua explained.
“When people recklessly breach these procedures, they end up occasioning huge losses on the company. For example, we are currently paying a former CEO Ksh 23 million for wrongful dismissal, and he wasn’t even a substantive CEO. Imagine how much I could claim if I decided to sue those spreading these reckless and baseless claims made in a bar and on social media,” he remarked.
MCSK National Chairperson Lazarus Muli had earlier condemned the notice, labeling it as “insidious propaganda” aimed at discrediting Mutua’s administration.
Muli accused individuals with malicious intentions of creating and spreading the document. He highlighted the positive reforms Mutua and his team have introduced, which he said had disrupted the status quo in an industry once dominated by self-serving interests.
Muli noted that such transformative changes inevitably attract resistance. He added that MCSK is pursuing legal action against the authors of the defamatory notice to ensure accountability.
“In the meantime, members and stakeholders can rest assured that Mutua remains in charge, with the full backing of the MCSK leadership,” Muli stated.
He urged members to dismiss the false claims, emphasizing, “Let us treat this propaganda with the contempt it deserves.”
