Market News

Heads of agriculture directorates moved in ministry shake-up

mel

Grenville Melli, the outgoing Coffee Directorate boss. PHOTO | salaton njau | NMG

Heads of commodity directorates have been moved in far-reaching changes by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Isabella Nkonge, who served as the managing director at the defunct Coffee Board of Kenya, has been reinstated as the head of the commodity directorate replacing Grenville Melli.

Ms Nkonge served in the position for a number of years before all the agricultural agencies were collapsed under the Agriculture Food Authority (AFA).

Until the new appointment, she has been serving as a manager at the directorate.

Naomi Kamau is back as the head of Fibre Directorate replacing Anthony Muriithi who will head the Tea docket.

Mr Muriithi is replacing Samuel Ogola who has served in the position for close to three years after the previous boss retired.

READ: NCPB gets acting CEO after Terer quits before maize probe

The changes made by Agriculture secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri have also seen head of Pyrethrum and other Industrial crops redeployed to AFA as head of legal and replaced by Clement Muyesu.

Horticulture boss Zakayo Magara has been recalled to Kilimo House, the ministry’s headquarters, and replaced by Nehemiah Chepkwony.

The changes started with the director-general of AFA Alfred Busolo’s replacement by Joseph Ngetich, who until then was deputy director of crops at the ministry.

Solomon Odera, interim head of Sugar Directorate, is the only official who has not been moved.

Mr Busolo acted for four years in his position.

Deloitte had advertised the position of director-general and the heads of directorates over five months ago.

However, the interviews were not conducted.

The appointment of substantive heads at the agency was thrown into confusion after the term of the interim board came to an end in November last year before completing their task.

ALSO READ: Agriculture PS summoned in irregular fertiliser deal probe