The Public Service Commission has picked five candidates to be interviewed for the post of Central Bank of Kenya governor. Those who made it to the short list have long experience in public finance management.
The PSC hopes to fill position, left vacant by Prof Njuguna Ndung’u who retired on March 4 after two four-year terms at the helm, by May. A shortlist by the PSC showed that current deputy CBK deputy governor, Dr Haron Sirima; the Economic Affairs Director at Treasury, Dr Geoffrey Ngungi Mwau; and former Planning permanent secretary and one time CBK deputy governor Dr Edward Sambili are among five preferred candidates to replace Prof Ndung’u. The others are Dr Patrick Ngugi Njoroge and Dr Peninah Wanjira Kariuki.
The five will battle it out during the final interviews to be held on April 7. The names of the three top candidates will be forwarded by the PSC to President Uhuru Kenyatta who will recommend one of them for approval by Parliament and appointment as the next CBK governor.
The race for the position of CBK governor attracted 22 candidates including Dr Rose Wanjiru Ngugi, a consultant with links to the IMF where she works as an adviser on policy and engagement with member countries; Dr John Hongo Randa, a senior economist at the World Bank’s Nairobi office and Dr Chris Kiptoo, the Kenya country director of TradeMark East Africa (TMEA).
The search for a deputy CBK governor would however take longer after 42 applicants failed to make the cut. The position has been re-advertised. The applicants for the CBK deputy governor position included Ms Rose Detho who is the current director, Strategic Management Department at CBK and Sheila Mmbijjewe who formerly sat in the influential CBK Monetary Policy Committee (MPC).
The position of CBK chairman attracted eight applicants with only four making it to the shortlist ahead of final interviews next. Dr Benard Mbui Wagacha, who is the outgoing CBK chairman and doubling up as President Uhuru Kenyatta’s economic affairs advisor made it to the shortlist of new CBK chairman alongside veteran lawyer Jairus Mohammed Nyaoga.
Other in the race to become the new CBK chairman are Dr Benson Akong’o Ateng’ who is the current chairman of Consolidated Bank of Kenya and Mr Nicholas Bartuiyot Korir who presently is on secondment to Comesa Monetary Institute from Kenya School of Monetary Studies which he headed. (Additional reporting from Business Daily)
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