KTDA chairman Enos Njeru (second from left), alongside other officials, during a past event organized by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).
By Metro News Reporter
The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) Holdings Limited has elected James Githinji Mwangi as its new board chairman, replacing Enos Njeru in another leadership change at the organization representing hundreds of thousands of smallholder tea farmers.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, KTDA said its National Board had elected Mwangi following a board vote. Engineer Samson Mosonik Menjo will retain his position as vice-chairman.
The agency did not give details of the vote or explain the circumstances behind Njeru’s departure.
The change comes just eight months after Njeru returned to the chairmanship in March, replacing Chege Kirundi, who had taken over from him in January 2025.
The succession follows a period of repeated leadership changes and internal disagreements within the agency’s board.
The boardroom tensions have coincided with mounting pressure on the tea industry over farmer earnings, factory management, marketing arrangements and the need to secure better prices in international markets.
KTDA manages tea factories on behalf of smallholder farmers and plays a central role in processing and marketing their produce. Its decisions have a direct bearing on the returns farmers receive for green leaf deliveries and the competitiveness of Kenyan tea exports.
The KTDA Holdings National Chairman James Mwangi Githinji (left) receiving the certificate of appointment from the KTDA Group Company Secretary Matthews Odero.
The agency has been pushing for greater value addition, product diversification and expansion into new markets to reduce reliance on traditional black CTC tea exports.
In its Tuesday statement, KTDA sought to reassure farmers and other stakeholders that the leadership change would not disrupt its operations.
“KTDA reassures all stakeholders that business operations will proceed seamlessly, with an unwavering focus on driving efficiency and promoting the best interests of tea farmers,” the statement said.
The new chairman takes over as the agency faces the challenge of restoring confidence in its governance while advancing reforms intended to improve the earnings and market position of smallholder tea farmers.
The leadership changes come as KTDA continues to operate without a substantive Group Chief Executive Officer, with Engineer Francis Miano serving in an acting capacity following the departure of Wilson Muthaura in January.
The recruitment of a permanent CEO has been clouded by controversy, including questions over internal succession arrangements and a court challenge that temporarily halted the appointment process.
Simon Rugut, the agency’s Group Finance and Strategy Director, has emerged as a figure in the succession debate.
Court papers cited him as a potential successor under KTDA’s internal succession plan, arguing that he was bypassed when Miano was appointed acting CEO while Rugut was on approved leave.
KTDA announced in January that it had received 50 applications for the position, including five from internal candidates. The other applicants have not been publicly identified in the reports reviewed, and the agency has not confirmed a shortlist.
The unresolved recruitment adds to the leadership questions facing the agency as it navigates board changes, pressure from farmers over earnings and calls for better management of the tea value chain.
