The current CEO of Uchumi Supermarkets, Mr. Julius King’etich is a well known man. He is also greatly respected in the Kenyan corporate arena. However, since he joined Uchumi, Mr. Kipng’etich has been taking Kenyans and especially the shareholders of Uchumi into some rather annoying trips of blame game.
He has succeeded more than any other CEO in the history of Kenya in blaming a predecessor, who in this case is Jonathan Ciano, for his failure to take the chain forward. No CEO is hired to blame others; in fact, new CEOs are hired because their predecessor didn’t do a good job. Their main job is in any given angle to remedy the situation.
I will note that I also tend to hold the unpopular view that the good and ever smiling Kipng’etich is an over-rated corporate fellow. For instance, why did he move from Equity Bank? We all thought he was the heir apparent! Equity bank CEO James Mwangi and the Equity Board must have realized something we don’t know. Many will argue that he did a good job at Kenya Wildlife Service – But what did he do differently other than courting extensive media coverage! At a time when we are trying to adress the poaching menace, can we say he did enough to prevent it? Did he curb poaching?
I’m almost convinced we should not expect much from the Julius Kipng’etich at Uchumi. Maybe even be Board and the entire management should be sent packing.Uchumi has become a crappy stock on the stock market and the management doesn’t seem to have a clue on what is happening or how to turn around the moribund retailer.
The same can be said about Kenya Airways and several other companies that associated with the government of Kenya. That’s my take; and I’m not a sadist naturally.