At least 119 board chairs and directors hired in 58 State firms Next phase will seek to replace chief executives
President William Ruto’s administration has made board changes in at least 58 parastatals, replacing more than 100 appointees tapped by his predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, as he seeks to assert his influence over State-backed firms and agencies. Dr Ruto and his Cabinet secretaries have hired at least 119 chairs and directors in 58 parastatals, with the President directly appointing an estimated 53 directors, according to a review of Kenya Gazette notices since the appointments started in November.
The new administration which came to power in September, has mostly fired directors appointed in the former president’s last days and populated the boards with losers in the August elections who supported his coalition. Traditionally, a change in administration triggers shake-ups in parastatals as the new president and ministers move to assert their infl uence over government-managed fi rms that have previously been used as centres of patronage by their predecessors. The next phase of hiring will seek to replace chief executives of top Stateowned fi rms despite a majority of their contracts running up to 2024.