Ruto appoints ex-MP Criticos as chair Kenya Trade Network Agency

President William Ruto has appointed former Taveta MP Basil Kritikos as Chairman of the Kenya Trade Network Agency for a period of three years.

The former deputy sold 2,526 acres of land to Dr. Ruto, who then served as vice president, a move that drew particular criticism from the Taitataveta landless.

However, Criticos defended Dr. Ruto saying that he bought the land at market price in 2017. Dr. Ruto’s Mata farm borders Criticos’ farm and Jipe Lake to the south.

“Exercising the powers conferred under Paragraph 6(1)(a) of the Kenya Trade Network Agency… I appoint William Samui Ruto… three years,” the Gazette read.

The former MP served as Assistant Minister of Roads and Public Works in the administration of former President Daniel Moi.

He tried unsuccessfully to return to politics as MP for Taveta.

During last year’s presidential campaigns, Dr. Ruto defended the purchase of Mata’s farm saying he helped Mr. Criticos offset a loan he owed to the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC).

The former MP earlier this year won a case against the National Bank of Kenya (NBK) over a debt of Sh2.57 billion, arising from an auction of his land in Taita Taveta 14 years ago.

This was after an appeals court ruled that an auction on 15,994.5 acres in Taita Taveta in September 2007 was undervalued.

The land, which contained buildings, sisal, a quarry and a road network, was sold for 55 million shillings.

The land was sold to the Trustees of the Settlement Fund (SFT) to redeem a Ksh20 million loan advanced to Agro Development Company Ltd, a company of which Mr Criticos was a director and shareholder.

The former Taveta MP acted as guarantor for the loan.

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