President Ruto appoints Kiraitu Murungi Competition Authority board chair

President William Ruto has appointed former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Competition Authority of Kenya for a three-year term. According to Gazette Notice No. 9603 issued on June 26, 2026, Murungi’s appointment takes immediate effect and replaces Charles Mahinda, whose tenure as board chair has been revoked. The Competition Authority is mandated to enforce competition law, prevent anti-competitive practices, and promote fair market conduct across sectors of the economy. As chairperson, Murungi is expected to provide strategic leadership and strengthen governance oversight of the regulator’s work. In the same set of gazette notices, the President also reappointed former Tigania East MP Joseph Muthuri as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service Board (KEPHIS). His new term will take effect from June 30, 2026, and will run for three years. KEPHIS is responsible for safeguarding plant health, seed certification, pest and disease control, and ensuring the quality of planting materials used in agriculture. Additionally, former Bomet Governor Stanley Kiptis was reappointed for another three-year term as Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority, which oversees standards and regulations in the country’s education and training qualifications framework. The appointments reflect ongoing government efforts to streamline leadership in key state agencies as part of broader reforms in public sector governance. The changes, formalised through official gazette notices, take effect at different intervals but are all set to run for three-year terms. Murungi’s return to public service marks a continuation of his long career in government, having previously served as Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister and Energy Minister during former President Mwai Kibaki’s administration. The latest reshuffle is expected to influence governance and operational direction across the affected institutions as they implement their respective mandates.