James Mworia has left Centum Investment Company after nearly 18 years to become the founding CEO of Kenya’s National Infrastructure Fund (NIF), marking a major shift from private-sector investment to public infrastructure financing.

Mworia’s appointment took effect on September 7, 2026, following a competitive recruitment process by the NIF Board.

He leaves Centum after serving as Group CEO and Managing Director for more than a decade. The investment firm has appointed Thomas Omondi-Achola, its Chief Operating Officer and Partner for Portfolio Operations, as Acting Group CEO with immediate effect.

Mworia will now lead the establishment and operations of the National Infrastructure Fund, which is being positioned as a vehicle for mobilising private and alternative capital for commercially viable infrastructure projects.

A New Mandate at the National Infrastructure Fund

Mworia joins NIF at an important stage as the government moves to operationalise the newly established institution and develop new ways of financing major infrastructure projects.

The Fund is intended to mobilise private and non-traditional sources of capital for commercially viable infrastructure projects, reducing the government’s reliance on public debt.

As founding CEO, Mworia will be responsible for establishing the Fund’s organisation, systems and institutional culture, as well as putting in place governance, investment and risk-management frameworks.

He will also be expected to develop an investable pipeline of infrastructure projects, mobilise co-investment capital and oversee the appraisal and implementation of priority projects.

The government expects the Fund to play a major role in attracting private capital into sectors including transport and logistics, energy, ICT, water and agriculture.

Ending an Era at Centum

Mworia's departure marks the end of one of the longest CEO tenures among major Kenyan listed companies.

He first joined Centum in 2001 as an investment manager and later returned to take over as CEO in 2008. During his tenure, the company expanded from a relatively small investment firm into a diversified regional investment platform with interests spanning real estate, financial services, manufacturing, energy and agribusiness.

Centum said its assets grew from approximately KSh4 billion in December 2008 to about KSh46 billion, while the group also reduced its debt significantly during his leadership.

The company's board thanked Mworia for what it described as a significant period of service and transformation.

Omondi-Achola Takes Over

At Centum, Thomas Omondi-Achola will oversee the company during the leadership transition.

Omondi-Achola joined Centum in 2018 and has been involved in portfolio operations, strategy, business turnarounds and value creation across the group's investments. Before joining Centum, he held several senior positions at Kenya Airways.

Centum said his appointment is intended to ensure strategic and operational continuity as the investment company enters its next phase.

For Mworia, however, the new role represents a shift from running a private-sector investment company to building a state-backed institution whose success will depend on its ability to attract significant private capital into Kenya's infrastructure sector.

His experience in investment management and capital mobilisation will now be put to the test as the National Infrastructure Fund begins translating its mandate into actual infrastructure investments.