Economy

Ex-Chase Bank executive quits Kisumu County job

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Kisumu governor Anyang’ Nyong’o. FILE PHOTO | NMG

A former Chase Bank executive has resigned from Kisumu governor Anyang’ Nyong’o’s cabinet a few days before his swearing in.

Robert Kennedy Ouko, who had been nominated for the Finance docket, is said to have quit after securing another job.

Prof Nyong’o said the CEC nominee informed him that he had secured an opportunity elsewhere and that he was taking it up.

“The Finance CEC nominee resigned after informing me a few days ago that he couldn’t take up the job I offered him, but thanked me altogether for the opportunity,” said Prof Nyong’o.

The governor, however, sought to downplay fears of a crisis as a result of the resignation.

“We have good chief officers and directors in that docket who have been holding the department. We will, however, fill the position carefully,” he said.

During the vetting, Mr Ouko was put to task over loss of billions at Chase Bank where he worked as director of business development.

Central Bank of Kenya placed the mid-sized lender under receivership in April 2016 after an unexplained loss of billions of shillings.

Its ex-chairman Mohamed Zafrullah Khan was charged with conspiring to defraud depositors of Sh1.7 billion.

The 49-year-old banker explained that the case was still in court but defended himself for having done the right thing and that he was innocent.