President William Ruto has revoked the appointment of Mary Wambui Mungai as the chairperson of the Communications Authority (CA) board, replacing her with Charles Kamau Karondo. The change, which came through a Gazette notice dated August 8, 2025, marks the end of Wambui’s nearly three-year tenure at the helm of the communications regulator and signals a notable political reshuffle within the administration.
According to the Gazette notice, Karondo has been appointed as the non-executive Chairperson of the Communications Authority Board of Directors for a three-year term, effective August 8, 2025. The notice, which was signed by President Ruto, reads, “In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 (1) (a) of the Kenya Information and Communications Act... I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya... appoint— Charles Kamau Karondo to be the non-executive Chairperson... The appointment of Mary Wambui Mungai is revoked.”
Mary Wambui was first appointed to the CA board chairperson role on December 2, 2022, succeeding Gilbert Kibe, who had resigned from the position. Her tenure at the CA was marked by a number of key regulatory decisions and oversight responsibilities in Kenya’s dynamic information and communications sector.
However, this political shake-up is not an outright removal for Wambui; she has been reassigned to a new role. In a separate Gazette Notice, No. 10948, the Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation, Eric Murithi Mugaa, announced her appointment as the non-executive Chairperson of the Athi Water Works Development Agency Board. This new role, which is also for a three-year term, is effective on the same day, August 8, 2025. She succeeds Charles Kamau Karondo, whose appointment to the Athi Water Works Development Agency was, in turn, revoked.
This strategic swap between Wambui and Karondo is a classic example of political realignments and the administrative prerogative to reshuffle key appointments. The move ensures that both individuals remain in senior public service positions, albeit in different sectors. For Wambui, the shift from the high-tech world of communications to the critical field of water infrastructure will present a new set of challenges and responsibilities.
