Kenyans invited to apply for the position of Central Bank Governor

Kenyans can now apply for the position of the Central Bank Governor after Prof Njuguna Ndung'u retired early this month. This is the first time the job has been put to a competitive recruitment process.

The Public Service Commission (PSC) Wednesday advertised for the position of the governor, the deputy governor and the chairperson of the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK).
To be considered for the post of the Governor, one has to be a Kenyan citizen, must be a 'fit and proper person of recognised professional standing.'

The PSC, in the adverts appearing in Wednesday's dailies, also say the interested persons for the CBK governor should have a bachelors and master's degree in economics, banking, finance or law.

"For appointment to the position of Governor, a person should have over ten years' experience at senior management level in the field of economics, banking, finance, law or any other fields relevant to the functions of the Central Bank," the advert reads in part.

The candidate will also be required to be a 'person of integrity and meet chapter six of the constitution of Kenya.'

It is still unclear if the person appointed will again be required to go through parliament for vetting in line with the current law after government decided to use the PSC route.

In an earlier interview with this writer, the chairman of Parliament's Finance, Planning and Trade Committee, Mr Benjamin Langat said his committee will only be involved if the name is forwarded to the house through the speaker.

An amendment to the CBK ACT in 2012 allowed the president to appoint a Governor but "through a transparent and competitive process and with the approval of Parliament."

"The president follows the law and we expect him to do so this time. When our time comes to participate, we will do so in accordance with the law," Langat had said on phone.