Muthomi Njuki elected Council of Governors chairperson, succeeds Ahmed Abdullahi

The Council of Governors holding a full council meeting in Nairobi on October 12,2026. [Courtesy]

Tharaka Nithi Governor Muthomi Njuki has been elected as the chairperson of the Council of Governors for a one-year term, eligible for re-election; outgoing chair Ahmed Abdullahi served two terms.

Njuki was elected on Monday, October 12, 2026, during a full council meeting held in Nairobi. The council also elected Bungoma County Governor Kenneth Lusaka as Vice Chairperson and Baringo’s Benjamin Cheboi as the Whip.

The governors also, during the new CoG Executive Leadership, elected Technical Committee Chairs.

The outgoing Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has served in the Chairperson capacity as the CoG in Kenya for two consecutive one-year terms from October 2024 until October 2026.

His tenure as chairperson concluded on October 12, 2026, as the council convened at a Hotel in Nairobi to elect a new leadership team. According to the constitution, CoG executives are limited to a maximum of two terms.

Before he was elected the chairperson, Abdullahi served as the vice chairperson under the leadership of then chairperson governor Ann Wainguru. Nyeri County Governor Mutahi Kahiga served as Abdullahi’s vice chairperson.

The Council of Governors was officially established in 2013 following the first general election under the 2010 Constitution, which birthed the devolved system of governance.

The office was legally set up under Section 19 of the Intergovernmental Relations Act (IGRA) of 2012 to provide a mechanism for consultation and cooperation among the newly created 47 county governments and between the counties and the national executive.

Before 2013, Kenya operated under a highly centralised, single national government framework. The promulgation of the Constitution of Kenya in 2010 completely restructured the state by introducing two distinct but interdependent levels of government: The National Government and 47 County Governments.

The Council was designed as a non-partisan, collective forum for the 47 elected governors to execute several statutory mandates, with core mandates including Dispute Resolution, Collective Consultation and Knowledge and Best Practices Sharing.