KenGen Appoints Ronoh Kibet as Managing Director and CEO

Last Updated 1 hour ago by Kenya Engineer

Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen) has appointed Eng. Ronoh Kibet Charles as its next Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, setting up a leadership transition at a time when the power producer is seeking to expand its renewable energy capacity and diversify its business.

Kibet, who currently serves as KenGen’s General Manager for Commercial Services, will assume the substantive position on 1 February 2027, succeeding Eng. Peter Waweru Njenga, who is due to retire. The board said the appointment followed a competitive recruitment process and that the transition period would support an orderly handover and continuity in the implementation of the company’s strategic priorities.

His appointment brings together experience in geothermal development, project delivery and commercial strategy at a company whose role in Kenya’s electricity supply is closely tied to the expansion of renewable generation.

Engineering experience and commercial leadership

Kibet brings more than 17 years of professional experience spanning geothermal development, project delivery, business growth and commercial strategy.

In his current role, he oversees energy markets, investments, new business and partnerships, as well as marketing, corporate communication and sustainability. His responsibilities place him at the intersection of electricity generation, investment development and the search for new revenue streams.

His experience includes supporting renewable energy projects, expanding KenGen’s international consultancy services and advancing the Olkaria Green Energy Park, an initiative intended to attract energy-intensive industries and investment to an area with access to geothermal power.

Kibet holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Telecommunication and Information Engineering and a Master of Science in Project Management, both from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. He is a certified Project Management Professional and SAP Project System Consultant.

He has also undertaken leadership and executive education at Harvard Business School, IESE Business School in Spain, the University of Cape Town and Strathmore Business School. His professional affiliations include the Engineers Board of Kenya, the Institution of Engineers of Kenya and the Geothermal Association of Kenya. He is a recipient of the Order of the Grand Warrior of Kenya (OGW).

Geothermal expansion and business diversification

The incoming chief executive will inherit a company balancing its core electricity generation mandate with plans to expand capacity, attract investment and commercialise its technical expertise.

Geothermal development remains central to that agenda. Kenya’s geothermal resources provide a source of electricity that is less dependent on seasonal rainfall than hydropower and can support the stability of the national grid. Expanding geothermal generation, however, requires sustained investment in exploration, drilling, steam-field development, power plants and associated infrastructure.

KenGen is also pursuing opportunities to use its geothermal resources to support industrial development. The Olkaria Green Energy Park is intended to attract businesses that can benefit from reliable renewable electricity, including energy-intensive industries. Its development will require coordination between power infrastructure, industrial investment and the services needed to support new facilities.

Beyond Kenya, the company has been building its geothermal consultancy business, offering technical expertise in international markets. Assignments in Eswatini have formed part of this expansion, creating an additional avenue for revenue beyond electricity sales.

Kibet’s commercial background is relevant to these ambitions, particularly the challenge of translating technical capabilities and available energy resources into bankable projects, strategic partnerships and sustainable revenue.

Building on recent financial performance

Kibet will succeed Njenga after a period in which KenGen reported improved financial performance. The company recorded a profit after tax of KSh 10.48 billion in the 2025 financial year, up from KSh 6.8 billion in 2024.

KenGen attributed the improvement to stronger business performance and operational efficiencies, while also advancing diversification and expanding its geothermal consultancy portfolio. The board has expressed confidence that the incoming chief executive will build on these achievements, strengthen performance and develop the company’s workforce.

The transition comes as Kenya continues to plan for rising electricity demand and the need for additional generation capacity. For KenGen, the task will be to align investment in new generation with the commercial realities of project financing, construction timelines, operating costs and demand growth.

Its future performance will also depend on how effectively it develops opportunities beyond conventional power generation, including industrial partnerships and the export of geothermal expertise.

Leadership transition

Njenga, who took over as Managing Director and CEO in August 2023, will remain in office until his retirement and the formal handover to Kibet. The board has thanked him for his service, highlighting the company’s financial performance, business diversification and growth in international geothermal consultancy during his tenure.

KenGen’s leadership change therefore comes with a degree of continuity: the incoming chief executive is an established member of the company’s management team and has direct experience of its commercial operations and growth initiatives.

The challenge for Kibet will be to turn those initiatives into sustained growth while maintaining reliable electricity generation and strengthening KenGen’s position in geothermal energy. His tenure will provide an important test of the company’s ability to combine its established generation business with a broader role in renewable energy development, industrial investment and technical services.