KeNHA Director General Resigns

KeNHA Chairperson Winfrida Ngumi confirmed that Ndungu’s resignation had been accepted and would officially take effect on Friday, July 11.

Marvin Chege Marvin Chege
Jul 11, 2025 - 20:51 Updated: Jul 11, 2025 - 22:54
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KeNHA Director General Resigns
KeNHA's logo on a major highway. /FILE

Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Director General Kungu Ndungu has resigned.

In a statement, KeNHA Chairperson Winfrida Ngumi confirmed that Ndungu’s resignation had been accepted and would officially take effect on Friday, July 11.

She also announced that Luka Kimeli would assume the role of Acting Director General starting on the same day.

“The Board of Directors hereby announces the acceptance of the resignation of Eng. Kungu Ndungu as Director General of the Kenya National Highways Authority, effective 11th July, 2025, and the appointment of Eng. Luka Kimeli as Acting Director General effective 11th July, 2025,” read the notice.

Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) Director General Kungu Ndungu who has resigned. /KENHA

Engineer Ndung’u held the position of Director General at KeNHA since his 2021 appointment by former Transport Cabinet Secretary James Macharia. He succeeded Peter Mundinia, whose six-year term ended on August 28, 2021. Prior to becoming Director General, Ndung’u served as the agency’s Director of Road Asset and Corridor Management.

KeNHA is an independent road agency tasked with overseeing the management, development, rehabilitation, and maintenance of Class A, B, and C roads.

This development comes moments after Philemon Kandie tendered his resignation as Director General of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). In a letter dated July 11, Kandie stated that his resignation notice took effect immediately, with his official departure scheduled for October 10, 2025.

He also indicated in the letter that he plans to utilise his accumulated annual leave during the notice period.

However, Kandie did not give the reason for his resignation, rather stating that "I am committed to ensuring a smooth transition during this period and take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to the Board of KeRRA for the support and incredible journey throughout my tenure. I wish everyone in the team much success in the years to come."

Kandie was initially set to serve until April 12, 2027, following his appointment on a five-year contract that began on April 13, 2022.

KeRRA Board of Directors Chairperson Anthony Ng’ang’a Mwaura, in a statement, announced that Engineer Jackson Magondu had since been appointed in an acting capacity to replace Kandie.

Kandie’s resignation came just a week after a petition was filed at the High Court calling for his removal from office over allegations of financial and political misconduct. Lead petitioner Wahome Mucunu accused Kandie of misusing his position to channel public funds through shell companies and contractors to support violent demonstrations that took place in June.

Court documents claim the unrest sparked by this campaign resulted in widespread chaos across the country, including property damage, injuries, loss of life, and disruption of public services. Mucunu argued that the protests were not peaceful but were instead criminally orchestrated events that threatened national unity, allegedly funded through state resources managed by Kandie’s office.

Amidst an hour of a crisis sweeping the country's top road firms, some reports had claimed that the Director General of the Kenya Urban Roads Authority (KURA), Eng. Silas Kinoti was proceeding on terminal leave, but Kinoti in a statement on his X account labelled those reports as false and misleading.

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