The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Kiprono Kittony yesterday retained his position in a hotly contested election held during the agency’s annual general meeting in Nairobi. Kittony beat his fiercest rival Shariff Ahmed by 15 votes after garnering 208 votes against his rival’s 193 votes. At least 10 delegates from each of the 47 counties participated. Kittony will now serve a three-year term to 2018.
Kittony campaigned on the platform of switching focus to business-friendly policy reforms at the counties in a bid to facilitate the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises into competitive ventures.
He said he will continue his reforms agenda that started with rebranding and relaunching of the Chamber in 2014 and restructuring of its operations through Business Advocacy Fund.
Kittony said the trade advocacy body successfully lobbied the government for better investment policies at national level and established various partnership with similar bodies internationally under his leadership.
“Our campaign manifesto clearly spells out the intention that the next phase of my leadership will be focused on the counties,” he said prior to elections. “I have also renegotiated for the issuing of the certificate of origin to be reverted back to the chamber and this is now automated,” he said.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards had been handed the role of issuing the certificate of origin by the government following unending leadership wrangles, which nearly crippled the chamber’s operations.
About Kiprono Kittony
Mr. Kiprono Kittony is a graduate with a Global Executive MBA with the Strathmore University Business School, together with the Columbia University Business School, a degree in Bachelor of Commerce Business Administration and a degree in Law both from the University of Nairobi, he has a lot of experience in public life as an implementer of various developmental projects countrywide and has a wide exposure in International relations.
He is the Founder Chairman of Radio Africa Limited which is now the fastest growing media company in Kenya with several radio stations including the market leading Kiss TV, Kiss FM, and Classic 105 Radio Stations, as well as a national daily newspaper, “The Star”.
He is also:
- The CEO of Capital Realtime Limited which is one of the major Safaricom Dealerships in the country;
- Chairman of Media Owners Association, My Jobs In Kenya, AAR Health Insurance Limited and Mtech Limited;
- A Board Member of Media Council of Kenya, Betting Control and Licensing Board, AAR Holdings Limited, and Danida’s Business Advocacy Fund;
- An Advocate of the High Court of Kenya;
- A Director of many other SMEs.
Mr. Kittony is also involved in philanthropic activities such as aiding orphans and supporting other worthy causes and mentors youth through Green Horn Mentorship and AIESEC programmes.
Mr. Kittony represents Kenya Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the EACCIA Board.