President William Ruto has revoked the appointments of three members of the Kenya Trade Network Agency (KenTrade) Board, including former Taita-Taveta MP Basil Criticos, who had been serving as the board’s chairperson.
The changes were announced through a gazette notice dated December
5, 2025.
According to the notice, the President exercised powers granted under section 7(3) of the State Corporations Act to remove Criticos from the post he had held since May 2023. Also revoked were the appointments of board members Paul Mwiti Mucheke and Abubakar Ketemon.
The directive takes
immediate effect.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 7(3) of the
State Corporations Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of
Kenya and Commander in Chief of the Defence Forces, revoke the appointments of Basil Criticos as the Chairperson, Paul Mwiti Mucheke and Abubakar Ketemon
as members of the Board of Kenya Trade Network Agency, with effect from the 5th
December, 2025,” the notice states.
Criticos, a long-time political figure and close ally of President Ruto, had been appointed to KenTrade as part of efforts to strengthen leadership at the agency, which plays a strategic role in facilitating cross-border trade.
His removal marks a significant shift within the
parastatal’s governance structure.
KenTrade, which operates under the National Treasury and Economic Planning, is responsible for managing the National Electronic Single Window System, a platform designed to streamline Kenya’s import and export processes.
The agency’s board provides oversight and helps shape policy as the
country continues efforts to improve trade efficiency and enhance its
competitiveness within regional markets.
While the notice did not disclose reasons for the
revocations, the move creates room for new appointments expected to steer
ongoing reforms in customs processes, digitisation, and inter-agency
coordination at Kenya’s borders.
In a separate gazette notice issued on the same day, President Ruto re-appointed David Wamtsi Omusotsi as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Council of Kenya Utalii College.
Omusotsi will serve another
three-year term, also effective from December 5, 2025.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by paragraph 20(2)(a)
of the Tourism Act, I… re-appoint David Wamtsi Omusotsi as the Non-Executive
Chairperson of the Council of the Kenya Utalii College, for a period of three
(3) years,” the notice reads.
Omusotsi’s renewed term comes as the government prioritises reforms in hospitality training to raise professional standards within the tourism sector—one of Kenya’s key economic pillars.
Kenya Utalii College,
established in 1975, remains a leading institution in the region, with the
council mandated to provide strategic direction in academic development, policy
implementation, and institutional growth.
