Granton Graham Samboja is a Kenyan politician and former media executive who serves as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya. He previously served as the second governor of Taita Taveta County from 2017 to 2022. Elected on a Jubilee Party ticket in the 2017 general election, his tenure was marked by a legal challenge regarding his academic credentials, a bid to dissolve the county government, and an impeachment motion passed by the county assembly that was rejected by the Senate of Kenya.
Early life and media career Samboja is of Taita ethnicity, originating from the Werugha area in the Taita Hills. He attended the Kenya Institute of Mass Communication (KIMC).
After completing his studies, Samboja worked at Royal Media Services before leaving to co-found Milele FM in 2008. He later established Anguo FM, a local Taita-language radio station. In April 2015, President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed him chairman of the Coast Water Services Board, a post he held until resigning in February 2017 to enter active politics.
Governor of Taita Taveta County Samboja was elected governor in August 2017 and was sworn into office on 21 August 2017, succeeding the county's first governor, John Mruttu.
Controversy over academic qualifications Following his election, questions were raised regarding whether Samboja met the statutory requirement of holding a recognized university degree. Legal challenges were filed seeking to nullify his election. During proceedings, legal representatives from Kenyatta University submitted an affidavit stating that Samboja had not been admitted to or earned a degree from the institution.
The Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) subsequently filed suit challenging the authenticity of his certificates. On 11 March 2021, the High Court in Nairobi dismissed the EACC lawsuit for lack of jurisdiction, ruling that election-related qualification disputes fell under specialized electoral court procedures.
Budget standoff and attempt to dissolve county government In July 2019, Samboja initiated a petition to dissolve the Taita Taveta County Government following a deadlock with the County Assembly over the 2019/2020 budget allocation. The petition gathered over 21,000 voter signatures, exceeding the 10% statutory threshold, and was submitted to President Uhuru Kenyatta and verified by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) in November 2019.
Impeachment motion and Senate dismissal Amid the budget dispute, the Taita Taveta County Assembly voted to impeach Samboja on 9 October 2019, with 30 out of 33 Members of the County Assembly (MCAs) supporting the motion.
The matter was referred to the Senate of Kenya in accordance with Article 181 of the Constitution. Despite interlocutory court orders attempting to stay the proceedings, the Senate proceeded with its review under its parliamentary mandate. On 24 October 2019, a special Senate committee chaired by Senator Njeru Ndwiga reported that the allegations brought by the County Assembly were unsubstantiated, and the Senate voted to reject the impeachment, allowing Samboja to remain in office.
Other administrative issues During his tenure, Samboja dealt with several regional and administrative disputes: Boundary disputes: He engaged in negotiations regarding revenue collection and municipal boundaries with neighboring counties, including agreements with Kwale and Kajiado counties. Farmer–herder conflicts: Following communal tensions and violent clashes between local farmers and camel herders, the county government suspended grazing licenses in 2018, and Samboja was questioned by the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) in July 2019 regarding public statements made during the conflict. Revenue sharing: Samboja petitioned the Senate to mandate that a portion of revenues collected from Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park be shared directly with Taita Taveta County, given that the park covers over 60 percent of the county's land area. Regional leadership: On 10 February 2021, Samboja was elected chairman of the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP), the economic cooperation organization representing Kenya's six coastal counties.
Post-governorship career Samboja sought a second term as governor in the 2022 general election, running on a Jubilee Party ticket, but lost to Andrew Mwadime ("Wakujaa"). His term concluded on 25 August 2022 upon Mwadime's inauguration.
On 23 May 2025, President William Ruto appointed Samboja as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya (PPCK) via Gazette Notice No. 6470, under the State Corporations Act, for a three-year term.
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