National Treasury and Planning Cabinet Secretary nominee Njuguna Ndung’u will play a vital role in restoring the economy to improve the lives of Kenyans.
It's President William Ruto's main agenda.
The former Central Bank governor and university lecturer will guide Ruto’s plan to revive a battered economy.
He is set to take charge of the National Treasury at a time when the economy is crippled with debt, inflation, joblessness, high cost of basic commodities and hunger.
In the run-up to the August 9 polls, Ruto promised that the economy was the main focus of his administration, pledging to put money in people's pockets.
Ndung’u is poised to steer Ruto’s bottom-up economic model.
Ndung’u was an associate professor of economics at the University of Nairobi. He has been the governor of the Central Bank of Kenya from March 2007 to March 2015.
He lectured in advanced economic theory and econometrics at the university and has published widely in international journals as well as chapters in various books on economic policy issues.
Prior to being governor, he was the director of Training at the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC), a capacity-building network in Africa in economic policy and analytical capacity.
Ndung’u holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
He studied Bachelor of Economics at the University of Nairobi and did his Master’s in the same institution.
The vetting may not be all smooth as MPs are likely to dig into his questionable past.
In 2012, National Assembly Public Accounts Committee in a report to the House had recommended that Ndung’u, together with then Transport minister Amos Kimunya, be investigated over a controversial currency printing contract with UK firm De La Rue.
(Edited by Tabnacha O)