President William Ruto has reappointed Fred Muteti as the non-executive chairperson of the Special Economic Zones Authority (SEZA) board for another three-year term.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

In a gazette notice issued on Friday, May 15, Ruto said the reappointment was undertaken under section 12 (1) (a) of the Special Economic Zones Act 2015.

According to the notice, Muteti's new term takes effect on Friday, May 15, 2026, and will lapse in 2029, after which a new person will be appointed to assume the authority.

"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 12 (1) (a) of the Special Economic Zones Act, 2015, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, re-appoint Fred Muteti to be the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of the Special Economic Zones Authority, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from May 15, 2026," ruto stated.

📌 What You Need to Know

SEZA is a government agency responsible for attracting, facilitating, and regulating all public and private Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Kenya.

It operates under the State Department for Investment Promotion , and acts as a critical regulator and investment facilitator to eliminate trade barriers and accelerate industrial development.

On the other hand, a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) is a designated geographical region that operates under unique economic, tax, and trade regulations designed to attract foreign and domestic investments.

These areas include publicly funded SEZs and private SEZs. Public zones include Dongo Kundu SEZ, Naivasha SEZ and Konza Technopolis. Private zones include Tatu City and Two Rivers International Finance and Innovation Centre, among others.

As Non-Executive Chairperson, Muteti will continue leading the board in setting policy direction, strengthening investor confidence, and overseeing the authority’s role in coordinating SEZ developers, operators, and enterprises.

His reappointment comes days after the Head of State assented to the Special Economic Zones Bill that sought to strengthen the Special Economic Zones framework to support large-scale capital investments.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke