Gaichuhie appointed anti-counterfeit chair after Gichunge’s removal
By Kenneth Mwenda, January 19, 2026Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui has appointed Nelson Ributhi Gaichuhie as the chairperson and member of the Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA) board for a three-year term. The appointment took effect on January 16, 2026.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 6 (1) (a) and (h) of the Anti-Counterfeit Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry appoints Nelson Ributhi Gaichuhie to be a Member and Chairperson of Board of Directors of the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 16th January, 2026,” Kinyanjui stated in a gazette notice.
The ACA welcomed Gaichuhie on X, saying:
“We congratulate Hon. Nelson Gaichuhie on his appointment as Board Chairman of the @ACA_Kenya for a period of three years. We warmly welcome him and wish him success as he assumes this important leadership role.”
New chair assumes office
Gaichuhie replaces Josephat Gichunge Mwirabua Kabeabea, whose appointment was revoked by Kinyanjui on November 28, 2025 following a scandal. The Cabinet Secretary cited powers under the Anti-Counterfeit Act and the Interpretation and General Provisions Act to revoke Kabeabea’s appointment.
The scandal came after the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) arrested Kabeabea on November 14, 2025. Authorities raided his home and offices following claims he demanded bribes from a Chinese businessman.
Prosecutors charged Kabeabea with multiple counts of bribery under the Anti-Bribery Act.
Kabeabea appeared before Milimani Anti-Corruption Principal Magistrate Celesa Okore on November 17, 2025. He denied all charges and was released on a Ksh2 million bond or Ksh1 million cash bail. Magistrate Okore also ordered him to deposit his passport and barred him from contacting witnesses.
Kabeabea, who served as MP for Tigania East from 2017 to 2022, lost his seat in the 2022 elections. He was appointed ACA chair in February 2023 and holds a Master’s in land management and social sciences from Makerere University.
Gaichuhie represented Subukia Constituency in the National Assembly from 2007 to 2017 under the Party of National Unity. He later served as Chief Administrative Secretary for the National Treasury and Planning, giving him experience in both finance and politics.