Richard Ngatia has lost his bid to defend his seat as the President of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, (KNCCI).
In an election held on Thursday, Erick Rutto beat Ngatia to be the new President of KNCCI.
Rutto garnered 291 votes against 208 votes cast in favour of Ngatia. He will now be deputized by Mustapha Ramadhan.
Ngatia ascended to the KNCCI top seat unopposed in 2019 and was seeking reelection with Abdulwalli Shariff as his running mate.
Despite receiving support from prominent national figures, including Council of Governors Chairperson Anne Waiguru and National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Ngatia was unsuccessful in winning the seat.
Governors from Bungoma, Vihiga, and Kajiado, notably Wilber Ottichilo and Joseph Lenku, had also endorsed his reelection.
While unveiling his agenda, Rutto vowed to plan to increase participation by women and youth-owned businesses.
He also said persons living with disabilities will not be left in ensuring their participation.
“In a world that is constantly changing, it is my vision that by working together we can build a chamber that is able to adapt, prioritise and effectively meet the wants and needs of its membership, partners and Kenya’s economy,” he said.
