President William Ruto has appointed former Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors at the Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya (PPCK).
The appointment, effective from May 23, 2025, was formalized through Gazette Notice No. 6470, issued under Section 6(1)(a) of the State Corporations Act, which grants the President authority to appoint board chairpersons to state corporations. Samboja will serve a three-year term.
Samboja served as Taita Taveta County Governor from 2017 to 2022. Beyond politics, he is also a notable figure in Kenya’s media landscape, credited with founding Milele FM and Anguo FM, the latter being a station broadcasting in the Taita language.
His new role places him at the helm of PPCK, a state corporation based in Nakuru and central to the government’s plan to revive Kenya’s once-booming pyrethrum industry.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Kenya was the world’s leading producer of pyrethrum, accounting for over 70% of global supply of the natural insecticide.
However, the industry has since declined due to outdated infrastructure, falling farmer participation, and increased international competition.
Samboja is expected to spearhead strategic reforms aimed at restoring the sector’s former glory.