State Corporation Board Seats in Kenya: How to Get One

Updated 27 October 2026

Kenya’s state corporations range from regulators and commercial parastatals to funds, universities and development agencies, and almost every one of them has a board of directors with seats filled from outside government. Many professionals assume those seats go only to the politically connected. Some do, but a growing share are filled through public adverts and competitive processes. This guide explains how state corporation boards are put together, who qualifies, where vacancies are advertised and how to put yourself forward.

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Updated October 2026.

Sources: State Corporations Act (Cap. 446), the Mwongozo Code of Governance for State Corporations issued by the State Corporations Advisory Committee and the Public Service Commission, the Constitution of Kenya 2010 and public board adverts by the National Treasury and ministries. Checked on 27 October 2026.

How a state corporation board is made up

Section 6 of the State Corporations Act sets the default make-up of a board, unless the law that created a particular corporation says otherwise. It includes a non-executive chairperson appointed by the President, the chief executive, the principal secretary of the parent ministry, the principal secretary for the National Treasury (or their alternates) and a number of other members who are not public officers, appointed by the Cabinet Secretary.

Those “other members” are the seats open to private-sector professionals. Many state corporations are set up under their own Act, which may set different numbers or reserve seats for nominees of particular bodies, such as professional associations, farmers’ groups or universities. Always read the founding law of the corporation you are interested in.

What Mwongozo expects of a board

The Mwongozo Code is the governance code for state corporations. Among its main expectations:

• Size: boards should be large enough for a mix of skills but small enough to work well. Mwongozo recommends a range of about seven to nine members.
• Independence: at least one third of the board should be independent members, with no material links to management, major suppliers or the parent ministry.
• Skills: the board should have a mix of skills relevant to the corporation, and at least one member should have financial expertise, typically to chair or sit on the audit committee.
• Separation of roles: the chairperson and chief executive roles are held by different people.
• Diversity: appointments should reflect regional, gender and other diversity. The Constitution’s two-thirds gender principle in Article 27(8) applies to appointive bodies.
• Evaluation and training: boards are evaluated each year, and new members get an induction.

Terms are fixed and renewable, as set in the founding Act and the appointment letter. Check the specific limits for each corporation.

Who qualifies for a board seat

Each advert sets its own requirements, but most ask for:

• A relevant degree and professional qualification (for example accounting, law, engineering, finance, agriculture or ICT), often with membership of the relevant professional body in good standing.
• Substantial experience, commonly ten years or more, including senior management.
• Knowledge of corporate governance. A director training certificate is often listed as an advantage.
• Integrity under Chapter Six of the Constitution. Expect to provide a certificate of good conduct, a KRA tax compliance certificate, EACC clearance, HELB clearance and CRB clearance.
• No conflict of interest with the corporation, and no current role that rules you out (for example being a state officer or a director of a competing firm).

Where board vacancies are advertised

1. Ministry and Treasury adverts. Parent ministries and the National Treasury publish board vacancy notices in the daily newspapers and on their websites. In 2026 the Treasury ran a public advert for board positions in government-owned enterprises, which closed on 29 May 2026.
2. The Kenya Gazette. Appointments are gazetted, which tells you when terms started and when they are likely to end.
3. Corporation websites. Some corporations advertise seats for specific nominee categories.
4. Professional bodies. Where a founding Act reserves a seat for a professional body’s nominee, that body runs its own nomination process.

Tracking the gazette is useful because board terms end on predictable dates. When a board’s terms are about to end, watch the ministry’s website and the newspapers.

How to prepare a strong application

1. Write a board CV, not a job CV. Lead with governance experience, committees served on, strategic decisions and sector knowledge, not daily tasks.
2. Match the gap. Read the advert for the skills the board needs and show exactly how you fill one of them.
3. Get your clearances early. Chapter Six documents take time.
4. Get governance training. A recognised director training course signals that you understand the role.
5. Start smaller. School boards, Sacco boards, NGO boards and private company boards build a governance record.

What board members are paid

State corporation board members are paid allowances (such as sitting allowances) rather than a salary, within limits set by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC). Chairs get a monthly honorarium. See our story on SRC pay for parastatal board chairs.

Know your duties

A board seat comes with legal duties and personal risk. Directors are expected to act in good faith, avoid conflicts of interest, and exercise care and skill. For private and listed companies these duties are set out in the Companies Act 2015.

State corporation board: frequently asked questions

Who appoints state corporation board members?

Under section 6 of the State Corporations Act, the President appoints the chairperson and the Cabinet Secretary appoints the other non-public-officer members, unless the corporation’s own Act provides otherwise.

How many independent members should a board have?

Mwongozo expects at least one third of the board to be independent.

Are board seats advertised?

Many are, through ministry and Treasury notices in newspapers and on official websites. Appointments are published in the Kenya Gazette.

Do board members get a salary?

No. They are paid allowances within SRC limits; chairpersons get an honorarium.