NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 21 — The Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (KETRACO) has sent home its Managing Director, Dr. John Muoki Mativo, cutting short his tenure less than two years after his appointment.
Mativo, who took office in April 2023, has been replaced in an acting capacity by Eng. Kipkemoi Kibias, as the board begins the search for a substantive chief executive.
While the board did not disclose reasons for the abrupt exit, the shake-up comes as the utility faces mounting pressure to deliver major power transmission projects through public-private partnerships.
In a statement on Friday, Board Chair Mohamed Abdi praised Mativo’s contribution but did not comment on the circumstances of his departure.
“We wish to appreciate the outgoing MD/CEO, Dr. John Muoki Mativo, for his invaluable service and contribution to the company. We wish him well in his future endeavors,” said Abdi.
Mativo had succeeded Fernandes Barasa, who resigned in 2022 to join politics and is now the Governor of Kakamega. Before his appointment as MD, Mativo had served Ketraco in various roles since 2010.
His successor, Kibias, has more than two decades of experience in Kenya’s energy sector.
He has been KETRACO’s General Manager for System Operation and Power Management and previously held senior positions at Kenya Power in planning, operations, and regional management.
He holds engineering and business qualifications from JKUAT, the Catholic University of Eastern Africa, and KEPCO International Nuclear Graduate School in South Korea, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Energy Studies at Moi University.
The board described him as a seasoned engineer committed to advancing renewable energy and power system development.
