Former Kirinyaga Woman Representative Purity Ngirici has been removed as Board Director and chair of Kenya Seed Company Limited, days after she publicly severed ties with the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA).
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi confirmed the decision, saying further guidance on the leadership changes at the state corporation would be issued.
“Further direction will be provided,” Mbadi said, without giving details on the reasons behind the move or who would replace Ms Ngirici.
The development comes shortly after Ms Ngirici announced her departure from UDA, fuelling speculation that her removal could be linked to shifting political alignments ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Ms Ngirici, a prominent political figure in the Mount Kenya region, had been serving as chair of the Kenya Seed Company board, a key state agency tasked with the production and distribution of certified seeds to farmers across the country.
Her removal raises fresh questions about the intersection of politics and appointments to state corporations, particularly at a time when political realignments are beginning to take shape.
Profile
Ms Ngirici is a businesswoman-turned-politician who served as Kirinyaga Woman Representative between 2017 and 2022. She rose to national prominence during the 2017 General Election under the Jubilee Party, positioning herself as a grassroots mobiliser with strong support in Kirinyaga County.
She is also known for her close political association with her husband, Andrew Ngirici, a businessman who has been influential in Kirinyaga politics. During her time in Parliament, Ms Ngirici was vocal on women’s empowerment, economic inclusion and local development issues.
In the 2022 elections, she unsuccessfully contested the Kirinyaga gubernatorial seat as an independent candidate after falling out with established party structures, further cementing her image as a politician willing to chart her own path.
In recent months, she had aligned herself with the United Democratic Alliance before announcing her exit, a move that has placed her at the centre of ongoing political realignments in the Mount Kenya region.
Attempts to reach Ms Ngirici for comment were unsuccessful by the time of publication.
Kenya Seed Company Limited is a government-linked entity mandated to produce and supply high-quality seeds to support agricultural productivity, a critical sector in Kenya’s economy.
Board appointments to such state corporations are typically made by the government and have often reflected the prevailing political landscape, with allies of the administration frequently taking up leadership roles.
Ms Ngirici’s removal adds to a growing list of changes in state appointments that have coincided with political developments, even as the government maintains that such decisions are administrative and aimed at improving efficiency in public institutions.
