Lerionka Tiampati, the CEO of the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA) has resigned less than three months after he was sent on compulsory leave by the new KTDA Board.
Mr. Tiampati and five other officials, who were suspended on June 20, were to know their fate after the lapse of a three-month leave following investigations on their conduct.
Other members sent on compulsory leave include company secretary John Omanga, Managing Director Alfred Njagi, finance and strategy director Benson Ngari and David Mbugua, General Manager ICT.
The Board had directed that forensic audit of the operational and financial system be undertaken in due course and that procurement contracts be reviewed to ascertain value for money. The Board has further called for the determination of the services and goods were obtained within the market benchmarks.
In a statement released to the press, KTDA stated, “Mr. Tiampati applied for an early exit before the expiry of his contract and this was approved by the board this week.”
Prior to his tenure at KTDA, Mr. Tiampati was a banker before moving to Ketepa, a subsidiary of KTDA, as Chief Executive Officer in 2001. Four years later, in 2004, he moved to KTDA as the Managing Director.
His exit comes amid controversy and a slew of court cases following the government’s move to implement tea sector reforms.