No Tea Party as long serving KTDA CEO Samuel Lerionka resigns

NAIROBI,Kenya, Sep, 10 – Effective immediately,long serving Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) boss Samuel Lerionka ceases to be the tea holdings’ Chief Executive Officer.

Lerionka in an official statement by the tea agency reveled the he had left the company effective September 9,2021 opting for an early retirement even before his contract expired.

It was however approved by the board this week.

“Prior to his exit, Mr. Tiampati was on compulsory leave and his position has been filled by Mr. Wilson Muthaura in an acting capacity,” read a statement from KTDA.

Lerionka joined KTDA as managing director in 2004 from the Kenya Tea Packers Limited (KETEPA) where he served as the CEO of the tea packing subsidiary company which is majority owned by KTDA.

In March president Uhuru Kenyatta directed the Attorney General to conduct an inquiry into allegations of statutory and regulatory breaches committed by KTDA. The Tea Agency is accused of price fixing and abusing its dominance in turn having a grip on more than 620,000 smallholders which is contrary of the Companies Act.

In an Executive Order,  Kenyatta directed the Attorney General to investigate the firm for what he termed credible allegations leveled against it by stakeholders.

“Attorney-General is directed to conduct an inquiry into the alleged statutory and regulatory compliance breaches allegedly committed by KTDA and or its directors including potential price and auction manipulation, abuse of dominance, insider trading, wastefulness and breach of directors’ fiduciary duties and other alleged malfeasances by or within KTDA,” he said.

Lerionka was arrested alongside other officials by detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) following allegations by stakeholders over mismanagement of funds.