Kenya, July 12 -- Eng. Kungu Ndungu, the Director General of the Kenya National Highways Authority, has resigned. The announcement came shortly after a similar update from the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KeRRA). The Director General, Philemon Kandie, also decided to step down.
The Kenya National Highways Authority (KeNHA) confirmed in a statement that they accepted Eng. Kungu Ndungu's resignation.
The statement, signed by the KeNHA board chairperson Winfrida Ngumi, said: "The Board of Directors announces that Eng. Kungu Ndungu has resigned as Director General of the Kenya National Highways Authority, effective July 11, 2025."
They also named Luka Kimeli as the acting director general starting that same day.
The board did not explain why Ndungu left but expressed confidence in Luka Kimeli's ability to lead during this change.
Ndungu, who is a civil engineer and business leader, became the director general on October 8, 2021, taking over from Peter Mundinia, who retired.
On the same day, Kandie also left his position after several years of service at KeRRA, which is responsible for managing rural roads in the country.
KeRRA announced, "The Authority wishes to inform the public of Eng. Philemon Kandie's resignation as the Director General, effective July 11, 2025." They didn't provide details about why he resigned either.
After Kandie's departure, the board, together with the Cabinet Secretary for Roads and Transport, appointed Jackson Magondu as the acting director general. Magondu is currently the Director of Planning, Design, and Environment.
The board expressed appreciation for Kandie's valuable work and contributions. During his time, he helped increase access to remote areas by developing rural roads as part of various government projects.
Kandie officially became director general on April 13, 2022, after serving in an acting role since July 6, 2020. His appointment faced some legal issues and challenges.
Kandie's five-year contract was supposed to end on April 12, 2027, but he submitted his resignation letter on July 11, 2025.
The letter stated, "This letter serves as a formal notification of my resignation from the position of Director General at Kenya Rural Roads Authority, giving a notice of 3 months effective July 11, 2025, with my last day of work being October 10, 2025."
He also mentioned that he would take 45 days of annual leave starting July 14, 2025.
Kandie thanked the board for their support and said he would work to ensure a smooth transition during this time. He wished the entire team success in the future.
Magondu is expected to help the Authority move forward while a search begins for a permanent replacement.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.