The year 1971 was of great significance in the history of the Kenya Farmers’ Association. During that year, the long-serving Chairman of the Company, Capt. D. A. Vaughan Philpott retired on account of ill health. He was succeeded by Willy Ngumi, who was the first African Chairman. The same year also witnessed the appointment of Musa Amalemba, the first African Managing Director of the company, who replaced Mike Hart. Mike had been the twelfth of the white Managing Directors who served the KFA since it was established in 1923. (See Appendix 7) Around January, 1971, I was offered a job as a Manager in Nakuru by Sapa Chemical Industries (KENYA) Ltd. Sapa was engaged in the import and distribution of agricultural inputs to farmers. The Managing Director of the Company, Dorian M. Rocco, was a member of an aristocratic Italian family with farming interests on the shores of Lake 223 Naivasha. His father had been a friend of my father and Dorian himself had gotten to know me many years earlier, during the days I worked at the KFA Naivasha Branch. Other directors of Sapa Chemicals were B. F. Sarantis, a Greek national who, by profession, was a chemical engineer, and P. H. Okondo who, in later years served as a Cabinet Minister in Kenya’s government. When I informed Musa Amalemba about my decision to resign from the KFA, he immediately invited me to his office in Nakuru. During our discussions, he asked me if I thought it was wise to resign after serving the KFA for over eighteen years. He urged me to reconsider my decision. I thought it over and decided to stay with the KFA. On 4th June 1971, I received a letter from the KFA Managing Director informing me that I had been promoted to Area Controller (Eastern Region) to be based in Nairobi, with effect from 1st July 1971. In my new role, I would be responsible for the supervision of all fifteen KFA Branches in the Eastern Region, which included Nairobi, Central and Eastern provinces. One of the requirements of my new position was, to quote, “act as the Association’s senior officer in the area, always maintaining the dignity, integrity and business honesty upon which the future image and success of KFA must depend.” My duties would include extensive travelling, visits, inspections and giving advice on all matters pertaining to the smooth and efficient running of the branches, and ensuring that all operating instructions and procedures were followed by the managers and staff at each branch. It was very exciting for me. From that moment, I was poised for the many promotions that followed in later years. P224
Posted on: Sat, 25 Oct 2014 12:05:47 +0000
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