The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has reversed its announcement of a leadership change, confirming that Enos Njeru remains the substantive Chairman of the Board following a court order that suspended the election of his purported replacement.
In a statement issued Thursday, November 5, KTDA clarified that while the board had elected James Mwangi Githinji during a meeting on November 3, the decision could not take effect due to conservatory orders issued by the court maintaining the status quo.
“Further to our statement issued on November 3, 2026, we wish to clarify that Mr Enos Njeru remains the substantive Chairman of the Board,” the agency said. “Following a court order granting conservatory orders of stay, the status quo has been maintained until the matter is heard and determined.”
The agency sought to reassure stakeholders that its operations would continue uninterrupted, noting that the dispute would be mentioned in court on November 24 for further directions.
The clarification came a day after KTDA announced that Githinji, the chairman of the Ngere tea factory in Murang’a, had been elected to replace Njeru.
The move triggered immediate protests from Njeru, who questioned the legitimacy of the meeting, alleging that six board members had not been notified and were unaware that another meeting had been scheduled.
Njeru claimed he had postponed the November 3 meeting with the agreement of a majority of board members.
“How, therefore, did another meeting subsequently take place, and how did it arrive at decisions purporting to change the leadership of KTDA Holdings without the knowledge or participation of six Board Members?” he asked.
He demanded explanations regarding who convened the meeting, who attended, and whether the required notices and quorum were observed, calling for an independent investigation. “These are fundamental governance questions that cannot simply be wished away,” he said.
Njeru also levelled serious allegations against unnamed individuals, accusing them of putting personal financial and political interests ahead of the institution and the millions of tea farmers it represents.
He alleged illegal payments and the possible use of farmers’ money for political campaign financing by some board members.
“I will not be anybody’s puppet. Nobody has the authority to intimidate, blackmail or coerce me into participating in questionable, unlawful or unethical dealings,” Njeru stated. “I would rather lose my seat than betray the farmers who entrusted me with their leadership.”
The latest dispute underscored a period of significant turbulence in KTDA’s leadership. Njeru himself only returned to the chairmanship in March 2026, replacing Chege Kirundi, who had held the position since January 2025.
Kirundi’s ascension had followed an earlier board election that displaced Njeru, sparking a dispute that also saw court involvement.
Prior to that, Njeru had initially taken over the position in July 2023 following the resignation of David Ichoho and was subsequently re-elected in August 2024.
The frequent changes had raised concerns among farmers, with stakeholders calling for stability and an end to the infighting that they feared distracted from the core issues facing the tea sector.
KTDA manages production, processing, and marketing for over 700,000 smallholder tea farmers, making its leadership pivotal in maintaining Kenya’s position in global tea markets.
The agency maintained that the leadership dispute would not disrupt its operations, stating, “We assure our stakeholders that our operations continue uninterrupted.”
The court proceedings on November 24 are expected to provide direction on the dispute, including the contested board decision that had announced Githinji as the new chairman.
