Former Taita Taveta Governor Appointed to State Corporation Board

Granton Samboja, the former Governor of Taita Taveta County, has been appointed as the non-executive chairperson of the Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya (PPCK), a state corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture.

The appointment, announced by President William Ruto, was formalised in a gazette notice dated May 23, 2025, and is effective immediately for a three-year term.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6(1)(a) of the State Corporations Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Granton Samboja to be the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya, for a period of three (3) years,” read the notice.

The PPCK, based in Nakuru, oversees the production and processing of pyrethrum — a natural insecticide made from chrysanthemum flowers. In the 1980s and 1990s, Kenya supplied over 70% of the global pyrethrum market. However, the industry has since declined, mainly due to old infrastructure, fewer farmers growing the crop, and strong competition from other countries.

Samboja’s new task includes helping to modernise the company’s operations and encouraging growth in the market again.

He served as Governor of Taita Taveta from 2017 to 2022 but lost his re-election bid in 2022 to Andrew Mwadime. During his time in office, he focused on improving local roads and promoting tourism, though there were concerns raised about how county finances were managed.

The new role places him among several political figures recently appointed to state positions, a move some analysts say could be part of a wider plan to strengthen President Ruto’s influence across different regions.

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