• Applicants must be citizens with at least 10 years experience in public finance or public audit management.
• They must have a degree in finance, accounting or economics from a recognised university.
Image: FILE
The Public Service Commission has launched the search for the next Controller of Budget with an advertisement of the vacancy on Tuesday.
Agnes Odhiambo, who was sworn in as Kenya’s first Controller of Budget on August 27, 2011, exited the stage after an eight-year stint at the helm of the independent office.
The state employment agency invited applications for the highly coveted office by September 9.
Qualifications for the position include being a Kenyan citizen with extensive knowledge of public finance or at least 10 years' experience in auditing public finance management.
The Controller of Budget holds the office for a non-renewable term of eight years and has the constitutional mandate of superintending public expenditure through periodic reports.
Prospective candidates for the post must hold a degree in finance, accounting or economics from a university recognised in Kenya and must strictly meet the leadership and integrity requirements of the Constitution.
Members of Parliament or MCAs are not qualified for the position regarded as crucial in the approval of the expenditure of public funds at both the national and county governments.
Those who have not met tax obligations with the Kenya Revenue Authority, removed from office for contravening the Constitution or declared bankrupt will be locked out of the recruitment.
Prospective candidates must obtain clearance from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission, Education Loans Board, the Credit Reference Bureau and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.
They are also required to present the hard copies of the original clearance documents alongside academic and professional certificates and transcripts to the recruitment panel if shortlisted for interview.
To ensure unfettered transparency in the recruitment process, the Public Service Commission promised to make public all the names of the applicants.
“The names of all applicants shall be published in the Kenya Gazette and on the commission's website,” PSC said in an advertisement.
The PCS appeared to ignore calls to the President to establish a selection panel to pick the next Controller of Budget.
The Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Kenya had appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to constitute a special team to hire the next holder of the office.