Ruto Nominates Susan Koech as Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Kenya

President Ruto has nominated Susan Jemtai Koech as the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).

Her appointment as the second deputy governor of CBK will need to be approved by parliament. 

Koech, a former Principal Secretary at the Ministry of East African Community, was previously charged in the Sh63 billion Arror and Kimwarer dam scandal but the charges were dropped by the Director of Public Prosecution Nordin Haji, who turned her into a State witness alongside former Treasury PS Kamau Thugge.

Koech, who holds a doctorate in business administration from Moi University, was the Nairobi regional head at KCB Group before joining the government.

Her nomination as the second deputy governor corrects a legal breach that has been repeatedly raised by the Auditor-General.

A law enacted in 2015 requires the executive team at the CBK to be composed of the governor and two deputy governors.

Former President Uhuru Kenyatta ignored calls for the CBK to have two deputy governors during his 10-year tenure.

Koech’s appointment is also seen as an attempt to avoid a leadership vacuum at the CBK in June when Governor Patrick Njoroge and his assistant Sheila M’Mbijjewe will exit office after serving for two terms of four years each.

M’Mbijjewe has been the CBK’s sole deputy governor since June 2015 and was reappointed for a final four-year term, which elapses on June 17th along with that of Njoroge.