Former Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi is set to return to public service after President William Ruto appointed him as the new Non-Executive Chairperson of the Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) Board.
The appointment, contained in a gazette notice dated Friday, June 26, takes effect immediately and will run for three years.
Kiraitu Murungi has taken the position of chairman that Charles Mahinda occupied previously but which the President has withdrawn.
The statement reads, “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.”
This appointment is a re-appointment of Murungi to the ranks of the Government having served in several high-level positions in the past like governor of Meru, Cabinet minister, and lawmaker.
He held the position of the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs from 2003 to 2005 and was later appointed Energy Minister under President Mwai Kibaki’s Government until 2013.
At the Competition Authority, Murungi will head the board that oversees the agency’s work in promoting fair competition, preventing anti-competitive business practices and protecting consumers from unfair market conduct.
The President also reappointed former Tigania East MP Joseph M’uthari to continue serving as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) Board.
M’uthari’s new three-year term will begin on June 30.
KEPHIS is the state agency responsible for safeguarding plant health, certifying seeds, controlling pests and diseases, and ensuring the quality of planting materials used across the country.
In the same round of appointments, President Ruto renewed the term of Stanley Kiptis as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Kenya National Qualifications Authority (KNQA) Board for another three years, effective June 26.
The latest appointments come as the government continues making changes to the leadership of state corporations and public agencies through fresh appointments and renewals of board terms.