Daily Nation Ordered To Apologise Over Notice Announcing Firing Of Ezekiel Mutua
The notice even cautioned members of the public not to interact with him on any official matters related to the organisation.
Marvin Chege 
The Music Copyright Society of Kenya (MCSK) has demanded that the Daily Nation, owned by the Nation Media Group (NMG), issue a public apology for publishing a notice which announced the firing of its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Ezekiel Mutua.
This is after it noted with concern the "false and malicious public notice" which announced that Mutua's role ended on April 3. The notice even cautioned members of the public not to interact with him on any official matters related to the organisation.
But in a statement on Friday, May 9, MCSK Chairman Ephantus Wahome Kamau dismissed the claims, insisting that Mutua is still the CEO and labelling the dismissal reports as a smear campaign orchestrated by former board members.
MCSK CEO Ezekiel Mutua. /GHETTO RADIO
"We wish to clarify unequivocally that these allegations are entirely baseless. Dr. Ezekiel Mutua remains the legitimate CEO of MCSK. The individuals behind this notice are former directors whose terms ended on 16th February 2025 and who have no authority to speak or act on behalf of the Society," the statement read in part.
"The current Board of Directors, as reflected in the official CR12 records of the Government of Kenya, fully supports Dr. Mutua's leadership and commends his outstanding performance. MCSK continues to operate under lawful governance and strategic direction, serving our members, rights holders, users, and all stakeholders."
MCSK claimed the former directors launched a campaign against Mutua after he reportedly declined to authorise over Ksh200 million in alleged exit arrears they demanded upon leaving office in February. Wahome stated that MCSK is satisfied with Mutua’s leadership and stands firmly behind him.
"We urge the public and stakeholders to disregard misinformation spread by these former officials, who are misrepresenting themselves as directors with the intent to mislead and disrupt the Society's operations. Their grievances stem from Dr. Mutua's refusal to approve over KSh200 million in alleged arrears that the former Directors wanted to be paid as they exited office in February," added the notice.
"It is worth noting that the same Board rated Dr. Mutua as 'Excellent' in their final performance evaluation, and the current Board has renewed his contract in recognition of his exemplary leadership."
He urged Kenyans and all concerned stakeholders to ignore the notice circulating on social media, claiming it was the work of individuals trying to mislead the public and disrupt the society’s functions.
At the same time, MCSK, while demanding a public apology from the Daily Nation for publishing what it described as a false notice, warned that legal action will follow if the apology isn’t issued.
"Given the gravity of this issue, and having warned the Daily Nation against publishing the defamatory notice, we demand an immediate and prominent public apology from the Nation newspaper," Wahome demanded.
"This apology should match the prominence of the original false notice and must not repeat the erroneous claims. If this is not done, we will pursue all legal avenues to defend our CEO's integrity and the interests of MCSK."
Mutua, who took over as MCSK CEO in March 2022 following a competitive recruitment process, had earlier served as CEO of the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) until August 2021. His appointment received strong backing and was widely covered at the time.
Rival groups have since been embroiled in a battle over the status of Mutua's leadership at MCSK. With tensions escalating, stakeholders are now closely monitoring how MCSK will navigate the growing rift within its leadership.
