NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 10 – The Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has appointed Kanja Thuku as Acting Group Chief Executive Officer, following the departure of Francis Miano, who has proceeded on annual and terminal leave.
Thuku’s appointment takes effect Tuesday, November 10, 2026, with the agency’s Board saying his experience and institutional knowledge will support the organization’s leadership transition.
Thuku currently serves as KTDA Group Director in charge of Special Programmes and has more than 34 years of experience in the agricultural sector and management.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from the University of Nairobi and has undertaken management training in project management, logistics and fleet management, food manufacturing, agricultural practices and sustainability strategies.
The Board said Miano’s departure was in accordance with the agency’s Human Resource Policy and Procedure Manual and a directive issued by the Board.
In a statement, KTDA Holdings Chairman Enos Njeru said the agency appreciated Miano’s contribution during his tenure.
“The Board sincerely appreciates Eng. Miano’s dedicated service to the organization and wishes him well in his future.”
The appointment places Thuku at the helm of an agency that plays a central role in Kenya’s smallholder tea industry, overseeing tea processing and marketing through factories owned by smallholder farmers.
KTDA manages a network of tea factories serving hundreds of thousands of smallholder farmers, making its leadership critical to the sector’s operations, farmer earnings and competitiveness in export markets.
