Stanley Kamanguya Placed On Terminal Leave Amid Legal Dispute

Stanley Kamanguya, the CEO of the Information and Communication Technology Authority (ICTA), has been placed on terminal leave with immediate effect, according to a press release issued by the Authority’s Board on July 1, 2025.

The decision comes despite an ongoing legal battle challenging the Board’s actions regarding his tenure. On June 30, the Employment and Labour Relations Court issued interim orders barring the Board from discussing Kamanguya’s reappointment, pending the hearing of a petition he filed.

Justice Nduma Nderi, who is presiding over the case, certified the matter as urgent and directed the ICTA Board to respond within five days. In the interim, the court granted an injunction restraining the Board from deliberating on Kamanguya’s reappointment until the matter is fully heard and determined. The inter parties hearing is scheduled for July 7, 2025.

In his court filings, Kamanguya contends that on March 6, 2025, the Board had approved and recommended his reappointment to the Cabinet Secretary for ICT and the Digital Economy for a second term starting August 8, 2025. He further claims that the Board, despite the court’s intervention, scheduled a special meeting on July 1 to revisit the minutes of the meeting in which his reappointment was discussed.

Kamanguya argues that proceeding with such deliberations while the matter is under judicial consideration would be not only prejudicial but also in defiance of the court’s authority.

The leadership shake-up comes in the wake of a recent reconstitution of the ICTA Board. Through a Gazette Notice dated May 16, 2025, Lily Ng’ok was appointed as the non-executive chairperson for a three-year term. New board members Leah Manyarkiy, Christopher Matseshe Naicca, and Dominic Salvio Kariuki Wambugu were also appointed. At the same time, the appointments of Annette Mutuku, Alfred Ngeno, and Michael Njogu Wachira were revoked.

Pending the appointment of a substantive CEO, the Board has named Zilpher Owiti as the Acting Chief Executive Officer.

ICTA plays a central role in driving Kenya’s digital transformation agenda, overseeing the implementation of national ICT policy, infrastructure development, and digital economy initiatives. The outcome of this leadership dispute could have far-reaching implications for the Authority’s stability and the continuity of Kenya’s tech ambitions.