Ex-taxman John Njiraini returns to head geothermal firm board
Former Kenya Revenue Authority boss John Njiraini has been appointed as chairman of the Geothermal Development Board. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Former taxman John Njiraini returns from retirement to head an energy parastatal.
- President Kenyatta has come under sharp criticism for appointing retirees in plum government jobs at the expense of the youth.
- In a bizarre appointment, the late Robert Kochalle, who died on May 28, 2018, was named as board member of the Kenya Film Classification Board.
Former Kenya Revenue Authority Commissioner-General John Njiraini has returned from retirement to head an energy parastatal.
In a Gazette Notice dated October 17, 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced that he has picked Mr Njiraini as the chairman of the Board of the Geothermal Development Company.
His appointment comes only two months after he withdrew his candidature for the position of the National Land Commission (NLC) chairperson, saying he wanted to pursue “other interests.”
He replaces Gershom Otachi who was appointed as the NLC chairman. Mr Otachi is a lawyer who was among the team that represented the President during his International Court of Justice post-election violence case at The Hague.
Mr Kenyatta has come under sharp criticism for appointing retirees in plum government jobs at the expense of the youth.
Mr Njiraini, reached the retirement age of 60 in 2012 while at KRA but left the tax agency in June 2019 after expiry of an extended term.
When he was shortlisted for the NLC job, there was a public uproar and he released a statement thereafter declining to interview for the post.
Now he has re-emerged as the GDC chairman in the same week 69-year-old former Othaya MP Mary Wambui was appointed to chair the National Employment Authority.
MORE APPOINTMENTS
Also appointed in the Wednesday Gazette Notice is former Nyeri Senator Mutahi Kagwe to the Petroleum Regulatory Authority as a member.
Prof Losenge Turop will chair the Uwezo Fund Oversight Board as David Waithaka, Lucy N. Magelo, and Nicholas Longole Tepeso join the team as members.
Ms Njoki Kahiga has been appointed as the chair of the Women Enterprise Fund Advisory Board with Hellen Ajiambo, Frida Njue, Julius Mugo, Tendai Mtana, Loitareng Selina Chemasach being members.
Dr Victor Mwongera was appointed as the non-executive chair of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund Board. His board members are Dr Susan Mambo, Dr Mugendi Birundi, Catherine M. Kasimu and Amos M. Isoe.
In a bizarre appointment, the late Robert Kochalle, who died on May 28, 2018, was named as board member of the Kenya Film Classification Board.
But after public uproar, his widow Charity Kochalle has been handed the post in a special Gazette notice dated October 18.
