New deputy takes over at CBK

New Central Bank deputy governor Hezron Nyangito Monday moved into the office formerly occupied by Mrs Jacinta Mwatela... leaving a question mark hanging over her fate.

Mrs Mwatela had vowed not to relinquish her job at the Central Bank, but on Monday stayed away from her old office, and also failed to report for her new job as permanent secretary at the Ministry of Development of Northern Kenya.

New posting

The move came only four days after Mrs Mwatela officially refused to accept her new posting, through a letter to Public Service head Francis Muthaura.

She argued in response to the appointment that she already had been installed by President Kibaki as deputy governor for four years, a term not due to end until next May 12. She argued that taking up the new position would mean holding two jobs.

But Government spokesman Alfred Mutua later issued a statement saying her position did not enjoy security of tenure and that the President had exercised his executive authority in appointing her as a PS.

Efforts to reach Mrs Mwatela were fruitless Monday but independent sources indicated she was yet to make up her mind whether or not to accept her new job.

Close friends indicated that she had decided to take a low profile awaiting response from government on her letter to Mr Muthaura.

An official at the ministry’s office, on the 14th floor of the Kenyatta International Conference Centre (KICC), said they were expecting her “any time”.

State House sources indicated at the weekend that she would be sacked if she refused to take her new appointment.

Dr Nyangito, who was appointed by President Kibaki in the September 8 reshuffle to replace Mrs Mwatela, quietly occupied her former office at the Central Bank Building on Haile Selassie Avenue.

Dr Nyangito, who was moved from the Medical Services ministry, where he was PS, moved to occupy the well-furnished office on the second floor of the bank’s executive wing.

Better than Afya

The bespectacled agricultural economist joked that his office was “better than Afya House,” his previous accommodation at the Ministry of Health headquarters.

“I’m still learning the process... as you can see, I’m settling down,” Dr Nyangito said. He refused to answer any questions, however.

Dr Nyangito has also been a director at the policy think-tank the Kenya Institute of Public Policy, Research and Analysis.

Mrs Mwatela had rejected her transfer to the four-month-old ministry, saying, it contravened the CBK Act, according to her, gave her security of tenure.

Her removal from the bank has attracted a lot of criticism because she is seen as a corruption-fighter within the institution.

She played a key role in exposing the Goldenberg scandal during the Moi era, and more recently opposed a banknote printing contract with De La Rue pushed by the Finance ministry against CBK’s technical advice.

On Monday, Mr Wako, the Government’s top legal advisor, joined the controversy by supporting the Government line that the deputy governor did not enjoy security of tenure.

He said: “Under the CBK Act, only the governor cannot be terminated without reference to a tribunal.” He added that the deputy’s and governor’s positions were not constitutional offices.

The Attorney-General was responding to questions from the media after receiving a set of Bills intended to strengthen the business climate in Kenya.

Also Monday, Cotu secretary-general Francis Atwoli accused the ruling coalition of harassing top women government employees.

While citing the case of Mrs Mwatela and former managing trustee of the National Social Security Fund Rachael Lumbasyo, Mr Atwoli said the Government was unfairly condemning women. He said the two were condemned unheard.

Ms Lumbasyo was replaced last week by James Akoya at the NSSF in line with the Prime Minister’s directive a week earlier.

The decision was made by Labour minister John Munyes who appointed Mr Akoya in an acting capacity.

Meanwhile, Water and Irrigation minister Charity Ngilu Monday defended Mrs Mwatela saying her transfer was a slap in the face of women professionals.

The minister said Mrs Mwatela’s transfer to the less glamorous Ministry of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands should be rescinded because she was an anti-corruption champion in her long career in the service.

Speaking to the press after attending a district roads committee meeting in Kitui, Mrs Ngilu said the Government should instead support hardworking women professionals by appointments to senior public sector.

“Women technocrats are more committed to serve the people transparently and the Government should instead appoint more women to key positions,” Mrs Ngilu said.

Additional reporting by Kitavi Mutua