Former Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM) National Chairman and Kzanaka Group Chief Executive Officer, Mucai Kunyiha, has been elected President of the COMESA Business Council (CBC), placing a Kenyan business leader at the helm of one of Africa’s leading regional private-sector organizations.
Mucai Kunyiha was elected during the 12th Annual General Meeting of the COMESA Business Council, held on Thursday, July 9, where members elected a new Board of Directors for the 2026–2028 term.
The meeting was held in a hybrid format, with participants attending both in person and virtually, at the InterContinental Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia.
KAM congratulated Kunyiha on his election, describing it as recognition of his leadership and long-standing contributions to industrialisation, manufacturing and private sector development.
“Congratulations to former KAM Board Chair, Mucai Kunyiha, on his election as President of the COMESA Business Council (CBC)! KAM wishes Mr. Kunyiha the very best as he embarks on this crucial role,” the association said in a statement.
Kzanaka CEO Mucai Kunyiha Elected President of COMESA Business Council
KAM added that Kunyiha’s election is “a testament to his outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing industrialization across the region and globally.”
In his acceptance speech, Kunyiha thanked members of the COMESA Business Council for entrusting the new Board with the responsibility of leading the organisation over the next two years.
He said the Board would build on the work of its predecessors while strengthening collaboration with the private sector to advance regional trade, attract investment and deepen economic integration across the COMESA region.
Kunyiha previously served as National Chairman of the Kenya Association of Manufacturers, where he championed policies to strengthen Kenya’s manufacturing sector, improve the ease of doing business, enhance industrial competitiveness, and expand regional and international trade opportunities for local manufacturers.
His election comes as the COMESA region intensifies efforts to deepen regional integration, eliminate trade barriers, strengthen value chains and promote industrialisation through increased cross-border trade and investment.
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Who is Mucai Kunyiha?
Beyond his role at KAM, Kunyiha is the Group Chief Executive Officer of Kzanaka Group, a Kenyan family-owned investment company with interests across manufacturing, agriculture, hospitality, real estate and business services.
The group comprises several companies, including CKL Africa, Analabs Limited, Mashiara Park, Qaribu Inn, and other investments operating across East Africa. Under his leadership, Kzanaka Group has focused on business expansion, innovation, sustainability and regional investment while creating employment opportunities across its businesses.
Kunyiha has built a career spanning more than two decades in manufacturing, entrepreneurship, and corporate leadership, making him one of Kenya’s most recognized private-sector executives.
Apart from leading Kzanaka Group, he has served on several influential public- and private-sector boards, including the Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA), the East African Business Council (EABC), the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Board, and the Kenya Property Developers Association (KPDA).
Throughout his career, he has consistently advocated for industrial growth, competitiveness, policy reforms, sustainability, and regional economic integration.
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Role at COMESA Business Council
As President of the COMESA Business Council, Kunyiha will head the regional private sector institution representing businesses across the 21-member Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA).
The council serves as the recognized voice of the private sector within COMESA, working closely with governments, policymakers, development partners and regional institutions to promote trade, investment, industrialization and economic integration.
Among its key priorities are improving the business environment, removing non-tariff barriers to trade, supporting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), promoting women’s and youth entrepreneurship, advancing digital trade, strengthening regional value chains and encouraging sustainable industrial development.
As president, Kunyiha is expected to provide strategic leadership to the council while engaging with governments and the private sector on reforms to make the COMESA region more competitive and attractive to investors.
His appointment also places Kenya in a stronger position to influence regional private sector policies as countries implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which seeks to create a single African market for goods and services.
Why the Appointment Matters to Kenya
Kuria’s experience in manufacturing, entrepreneurship and business leadership positions him to champion policies that encourage industrialization, improve cross-border trade, enhance value addition and create opportunities for businesses operating within the COMESA region.
For Kenyan manufacturers and exporters, his leadership at the COMESA Business Council could help advance reforms aimed at reducing the cost of doing business, removing barriers to regional trade, improving logistics and expanding access to export markets.
The appointment also comes at a time when African countries are accelerating regional economic integration through COMESA and the African Continental Free Trade Area, creating new opportunities for businesses to expand beyond national borders.
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