President William Ruto has appointed veteran politician and former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK), in the latest reshuffle of state corporation leadership.
The appointment was effected through a Gazette Notice dated June 26, 2026, and takes effect immediately. Murungi, a lawyer with decades of experience in public service, will serve a three-year term at the helm of the CAK board, unless the law provides otherwise.
The gazette notice formally read: “I, William Ruto, appoint Kiraitu Murungi to be the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Competition Authority for a period of three years, with effect from June 26, 2026.”
Murungi’s appointment simultaneously revokes that of Charles Mahinda, who previously served as CAK board chairperson.
The 74-year-old returns to public service with an extensive record of government roles. He served as Member of Parliament for South Imenti for several terms, held the Cabinet docket of Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs between 2003 and 2005 under former President Mwai Kibaki, and later served as Minister for Energy until 2013. He subsequently served as Meru Senator before winning the Meru gubernatorial seat, a position he held until 2022. He has also previously chaired the National Oil Corporation of Kenya board.
In his new role, Murungi will provide strategic leadership and governance oversight to the Competition Authority, the statutory body mandated to promote fair competition in Kenya’s markets, protect consumers from misleading and unfair trade practices, review mergers and acquisitions, and investigate anti-competitive conduct across economic sectors.
Alongside Murungi’s appointment, President Ruto reappointed former Tigania East MP Joseph M’eruaki M’uthari as Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) for a fresh three-year term, taking effect June 30, 2026. KEPHIS is responsible for plant health regulation, seed certification, pest and disease control, and quality assurance of agricultural inputs — functions critical to Kenya’s food security architecture.
President Ruto also reappointed Stanley Kiptis as Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) for another three-year term, effective June 26, 2026.
The government described the appointments as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen leadership, accountability, and governance across state institutions. The changes signal continued presidential interest in reconstituting boards of state corporations with experienced figures drawn from Kenya’s political and professional establishment.
