Only two directors were reelected to Embu's National Chambers of Commerce and Industry in polls marred by bribery claims, delays and insults.
Gerald Ireri, who ran for chairman, and Florence Wanjala were re-elected, while all the others, including Mt Kenya East tourism director Johnson Nyaga, were replaced.
Nyagah and his running mate Kanjogu Njiru (a former ward representative) were defeated by contractor John Mugo in the hotly contested poll.
The former director obtained 88 votes against Mugo's 116 while Kanjogu garnered 97 votes against Ireri's 103.
The members of the chamber said the former officials have not been forceful enough to lobby for the welfare of the traders, asking newly elected leaders to make the chambers active more active.
A wife of former Transport PS Cyrus Njiru, Catherine Wanja, was elected director after stepping down in favour of Emily Wanja Njiru for Woman Representative.
Mugo claimed his opponent and allied directorship aspirant had bribed his supporters to vote for him. He said his campaigners engaged in name-calling during campaigns and elections.
He promised to unite all the KNCCI members who were sharply divided by the elections to work together and fight for solutions to the traders' problems.
Mugo promised to mobilise the traders and other donors to pool resources to establish a sacco from which they could take loans to run their businesses and share dividends instead of relying on other financial institutions.
He pledged to facilitate training in entrepreneurship of traders describing it as a major challenge faced by traders, especially the youth entering into businesses.
Mugo has expressed support for Nairobi’s chairman Richard Ngatia in the fight for the organisation’s presidency. He is opposed by Nairobi businessmen Gor Semelang’o and James Mureu.
He pledged to lobby senior local politicians whom he said to have businesses to join the National Chambers of Commerce and Industry to join efforts with other traders for joint developments.
Nyaga promised to support Mugo for the three years he will be at the helm of leadership of the KNCCI.
(Edited by R.Wamochie)
