Uganda gains board seats at Kenya Pipeline Company, restarts CEO recruitment

The Ugandan government has appointed Ramathan Ggoobi, Secretary to the Treasury, and Irene Pauline Bateebe, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Energy, as non‑executive directors on the board of Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC). The appointments, effective July 28, 2026, give Uganda veto power over the hiring and firing of KPC’s chief executive and other key decisions such as fuel tariffs and dividend policy.

The board changes revive a stalled CEO search that was halted after KPC directors disagreed over the legality of the recruitment without a reconstituted board. Former managing director Joe Sang resigned amid a fuel scandal, leaving finance chief Pius Mwendwa as acting manager. With Uganda now represented, the recruitment process for a new CEO is set to resume.

The board expansion follows Kenya’s concession of a 65 % stake in KPC and its listing on the Nairobi Securities Exchange, a move aimed at deepening regional energy cooperation and giving Uganda greater influence over petroleum transportation and storage in East Africa.