The National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi, has appointed former Cabinet Secretary Adan Abdulla Mohamed as the new Commissioner General of the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).
In a gazette notice published on Monday, May 18, Mbadi said that Mohamed will serve a three-year term, effective immediately.
“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 (1) of the Kenya Revenue Authority Act, the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury appoints Adan Abdulla Mohamed to be the Commissioner General of Kenya Revenue Authority, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 18th May, 2026,” the notice read.
Mohamed’s appointment places at the helm of Kenya’s tax agency a figure widely regarded as one of the country’s most accomplished technocrats, bringing decades of experience spanning corporate leadership, economic strategy and government administration.
Born in Kutulo, a remote village in Mandera County, Mohamed’s rise to national prominence reflects a steady progression shaped by academic excellence and professional discipline.
He attended Kangaru High School before joining the University of Nairobi, where he graduated in 1989 with a First-Class Bachelor of Commerce degree.
He later advanced his studies at Harvard Business School, where he earned a Master of Business Administration (MBA), further sharpening his credentials for high-level leadership in both the private and public sectors.
Mohamed began his professional career at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), training as a chartered accountant in London. His early exposure to international finance and auditing laid the foundation for a distinguished career in banking.
He later joined Barclays Bank, where he rose through the ranks to become Chief Executive Officer of Barclays Kenya. His influence extended beyond the local market when he was appointed Managing Director for Barclays East and West Africa.
He subsequently served as Chief Administrative Officer for Barclays Africa, a role that placed him in charge of operational oversight across ten countries.
His entry into government came in 2013 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him Cabinet Secretary for Industrialisation and Enterprise Development. In that position, Mohamed was tasked with steering industrial policy and strengthening the country’s enterprise sector.
Over the years, he served in several key ministerial portfolios, including Cabinet Secretary for Industry, Trade and Cooperatives.
He was also appointed Acting Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, and later served as Cabinet Secretary for East African Community and Regional Development between 2018 and 2022.
In 2022, Mohamed resigned from the Cabinet to contest the Mandera gubernatorial seat, though he did not win the election. Despite the setback, he remained a prominent figure in national policy circles.
President William Ruto reappointed him to government, naming him a member of the Council of Economic Advisors and later appointed him Chief of Strategy Execution in the Executive Office of the President in 2023, a role he held till his appointment to lead KRA.
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