Ex-Deloitte CEO to chair Auditor-General selection panel

Former Deloitte East Africa chief executive Sammy Onyango will chair the panel for selecting nominees for the position of Kenya’s second Auditor-General following the retirement of Edward Ouko in August.

President Uhuru Kenyatta made the appointment on Wednesday and also picked six other people to be on the panel that will review the suitability of applicants and nominate three candidates for one of the country’s plum jobs.

The President is expected to select one person from the three names and forward it to the national assembly for approval within three days of receipt.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by section 11 (5) of the Public Audit Act, I, Uhuru Kenyatta, President and Commander-in-Chief of the Kenya Defence Forces appoint to be the chairperson and members of the selection panel for the selection of nominees for appointment as Auditor-General,” read the notice in the Kenya Gazette.

The appointment comes after the deadline for applying for the position of Auditor-General elapsed on September 9.

The Public Audit Act has no clear provisions for transition unless the previous office holder dies, resigns, or is removed - a lacuna that saw Mr Ouko leave office without a successor.

38 YEARS

Mr Onyango is a seasoned auditor, having retired from the audit and advisory firm last year after serving it for about 38 years.

He is a non-executive director at British American Tobacco.

In the panel are Rose Mwaura, the former partner at Deloitte and now the chairperson of Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK). Others are Masinde Joy Brenda, Loise Ruhiu, Titus Ndambuki, Kennedy Ogeto and Bernard Ndungu.

To be qualified for appointment as Mr Ouko’s successor, one will among other things be required to be a Kenyan citizen with extensive knowledge of public finance or at least 10 years’ experience in auditing or public finance management.