Mr. Kipngok passed away on Wednesday evening after developing breathing complications at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) where he was scheduled to depart for Mombasa at 7 pm.
Kenya Airways said the deputy governor was pronounced dead by medical personnel at JKIA while the aircraft was still on the ground.
The incident was confirmed by Baringo Governor, Benjamin Cheboi who added that Kipng’ok was expected to join other leaders for the Council of Governors induction in Mombasa.
Cheboi noted that at the time they could not tell the cause of death.
“It is a loss to us. We were just preparing to start the business of building our great county of Baringo,” the governor stated.
The national carrier had also issued a statement earlier, confirming that a passenger had collapsed and died after boarding a plane.
In his condolence message, President William Ruto mourned the late Deputy Governor as an amiable, astute, and highly accomplished public servant and captain of industry with an enviable track record of success in the tea sub-sector.
More details about the late Baringo deputy governor
Charles Kipngok, who hails from Baringo County, is a well-known corporate executive with a career spanning 30 years and previously served as General Manager at the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA).
He attended Emom Primary School before proceeding to Tenges High School for his O-levels and Kijabe High School for his A-Levels.
He then joined the University of Eastern Africa (Baraton) where he graduated in 1990 with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management.
Charles Kipngok joined KTDA as a management traineee in 1991 where he rose through the ranks and within 2 years he was promoted to be Manager, a position he served for 6 years.
After leaving KTDA, he joined Kiptagich and Kaisugu Limited where he first served as a factory manager before ascending to the positions of General Manager and CEO.
“While the General Manager, he oversaw the expansion of cutting-edge technology in the organization. A move that made it possible to achieve a leading role in the market, expand the company’s portfolio and meet the requests coming from the market,” reads his profile in part.
A poster showing Baringo Governor Benjamin Cheboi and his deputy Charles Kipngok
The late President Mwai Kibaki would later honor him with the Head of State Commendation (HSC.) for the sustainable innovations he initiated in the tea sector.
Mr. Kingok is credited for the variety of tea products such as Kaisugu Classic and Asis Premium products that were ranked among the best favorable tea brands in Kenya.
He would later be elected as the chairman Kenya Tea Growers Association, an association that comprises all the largest tea Estate companies and other large-scale tea producers in Kenya.
The deceased Baringo leader will be remembered for taking part in advocating and promoting harmonious industrial relations in the tea industry.
