Former KTGA CEO takes up new role at Kenya Association of Manufacturers, pledging to advance policies that attract investment, boost exports and create jobs
Lindah Oluoch has moved from the tea industry to a new national-level role at the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), marking a new chapter in her career focused on manufacturing policy, investment and export competitiveness. Oluoch joins KAM after eight years with the Kenya Tea Growers Association (KTGA), where she rose to serve as Chief Executive Officer for three years.
Announcing her transition, Oluoch described her time in the tea sector as the “biggest privilege” of her career, crediting the experience with shaping her understanding of industry advocacy, regulation and partnerships. “Working in tea has been the biggest privilege of my career so far,” Oluoch said, reflecting on her years at KTGA.
She noted that her tenure involved strengthening the Association’s legal and advocacy capacity while giving the organisation a stronger voice in discussions around regulation and the future direction of the tea industry.
During her time at the helm, Oluoch worked with key players and institutions including the Tea Board of Kenya, East African Tea Trade Association (EATTA) and KTDA Holdings, while also developing partnerships around sustainability, market development and the long-term future of the tea sector.
She said the period was particularly significant in strengthening KTGA’s visibility and influence within the industry. “The three years at the helm as CEO were a true legacy-building chapter,” she said, adding that she was proud of the stronger voice and visibility the Association developed during the period.
Oluoch’s departure comes as Kenya’s manufacturing sector continues to push for policy reforms aimed at lowering the cost of doing business, attracting investment and strengthening the competitiveness of locally manufactured products in domestic and export markets.
At KAM, she is expected to bring her experience in industry representation, policy engagement and stakeholder partnerships to a broader manufacturing agenda. For Oluoch, the central question is how Kenya can create a policy environment capable of unlocking greater private-sector investment and export-led growth. “How much investment can we attract, and how much business growth through export competitiveness can we enable, if we get the policies right?” she posed.
She argues that manufacturing competitiveness goes beyond individual businesses, linking a stronger industrial sector directly to employment, value addition, exports and government revenues. “Manufacturing competitiveness is not just about businesses. It is about enabling investment because that creates jobs. It is about local value creation, exports and ultimately, our national prosperity,” she said. Her new role comes at a time when KAM is championing the implementation of its Manufacturing Priority Agenda, which sets out key interventions aimed at expanding the sector’s contribution to Kenya’s economy. Oluoch said the agenda provides a clear framework for the work ahead, particularly in unlocking manufacturing growth and strengthening the sector’s contribution to government revenue. “There is a lot to do,” she said.
Despite moving away from the tea industry, Oluoch said the sector will remain close to her heart. She thanked KTGA and the wider tea industry for the opportunity to serve and lead, noting that her experience in Kericho had been both challenging and inspiring. “I wish the Association all the best. My heart will always be in tea,” she said. And while her professional focus has shifted from tea growing to manufacturing, Oluoch ended her announcement on a lighter note, promising that her passion for tea will remain intact. “Thankfully, it is always tea time! So, over to bottomless teas at Kenya Association of Manufacturers,” she said.
Her arrival at KAM has already been met with a warm reception, with colleagues repeatedly welcoming her with the phrase, “Karibu KAM!” “Najihisi nimekaribishwa,” she said, signalling her readiness for the next phase of her career. For Kenya’s manufacturing and agricultural sectors, Oluoch’s transition also highlights the increasingly interconnected nature of policy advocacy across value chains, with competitiveness, investment, exports and value addition remaining central to the country’s economic ambitions.
Her immediate challenge will be to help translate policy priorities into an environment where manufacturers can invest, expand production, create jobs and compete more effectively in regional and international markets. “To bigger impact,” Oluoch said of the new chapter.