This archive report was first published on 22 June 2021.
On June 21, 2021, the Kenya Tea Development Agency's (KTDA) new board of directors held its first meeting and made a significant decision that sent shockwaves through the organization. The board, led by Chair David Ichocho, resolved to send long-serving Managing Director Lerionka Tiampati and five other officials on compulsory leave.
The officials sent home include Managing Director Alfred Njagi, Company Secretary John Omanga, Finance and Strategy Director Benson Ngari, and General Manager ICT David Mbugua. The move comes as a result of a tussle between the old and new boards, which saw the officials oppose new regulations on tea contained in the Tea Bill passed in December 2020 and a state-backed investigation into the agency quashed by the courts in April 2021.
According to Ichocho, the board made the decision to allow for necessary investigations and determination of culpability for any malpractices and possible abuse of office. The investigations are expected to include a forensic audit of the operational and financial system, and reviews of procurement contracts to ascertain whether KTDA shareholders received value for money.
The new board, which was inaugurated earlier in June by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya, held its first meeting at the agency's Nairobi headquarters under heavy police presence amid fears that the meeting could have been disrupted. The outgoing board, however, issued a statement denying the new board's authority to effect any decisions.
One of the officials sent home, MD Alfred Njagi, had in May revealed plans to list KTDA on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) to access external funds and reduce dependency on internal finances.
