Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has been elected chairperson of the Council of Governors (CoG), with Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka taking up the deputy position following leadership elections held in Nairobi on Monday, October 12.
Njuki succeeds Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi, who has led the council since October 2024. Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi retained the whip position, completing the council’s three-member executive leadership team.
The new leadership was elected during a full council meeting that also involved the selection of governors to lead the council’s technical committees, which coordinate county governments’ positions on various policy and service delivery issues.
Njuki’s election comes as county governments continue to seek adequate funding, timely disbursement of equitable share allocations and the settlement of outstanding financial obligations owed to counties.
The new chairperson will lead the governors’ collective engagement with the national government on the implementation of devolution, financing of county functions and the delivery of essential public services.
The Council of Governors brings together the heads of Kenya’s 47 county governments. Established under the Intergovernmental Relations Act, it provides a platform for consultation, coordination and the development of common positions on matters affecting devolved government.
Through its executive leadership and technical committees, the council coordinates governors’ engagement on sectors including health, agriculture, infrastructure and public service delivery.
Njuki previously served as the council’s vice-chairperson before his elevation to the top position. His experience in county administration is expected to inform his leadership of the governors’ forum as it navigates relations with the national government.
He first entered elective politics in 2013 when he was elected Member of Parliament for Chuka/Igambang’ombe Constituency, a position he held until 2017. He was elected governor of Tharaka Nithi County in the 2017 General Election and secured a second term in 2022 on a United Democratic Alliance(UDA) ticket.
Before entering politics, Njuki worked as a teacher and businessman. He holds a Bachelor of Education degree from Kenyatta University and a master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management from the University of Nairobi.
Lusaka, who will deputize Njuki, has also served two terms as Bungoma governor. He first held the office from 2013 to 2017 before returning to the position following the 2022 General Election.
The leadership transition marks a new phase for the council as governors seek to strengthen coordination among counties and advance their collective interests in negotiations over resources, devolved responsibilities and service delivery.
