A House committee has approved the appointment of Margaret Nyakango as the Controller of Budget for a fixed term of eight years.
Following the development, the nominee is therefore one step away from taking over from Agnes Odhiambo whose term ended in August.
The Finance committee chaired by Kipkelion East MP Joseph Limo concluded that Nyakango is qualified for the job.
“Having considered the suitability, capacity, and integrity of the nominee, the committee recommends that the National Assembly approves the nomination and subsequent appointment of Margaret Nyakango,” the report on her vetting reads.
The COB nominee was ranked the highest with a score of 76 per cent.
She holds a PhD in Business Administration, MBA in Strategic Management, and Barchelor of Commerce (Accounting).
The National Assembly is expected to debate the report and approve it before proceeding for the long recess which starts this Thursday.
During her vetting, Nyakango said she would ensure county governments work towards sustaining their revenue inflows by exploiting more tax sources.
She sought that the COB be empowered to not only report on expenditure but also on revenue adding that her office will help the government widen its tax base.
“There is the need for the informal sector to be brought on board in order to widen the tax base. We will ensure the quarterly reports capture as much as possible in terms of implementation of the tax base,” she said.
She also promised strict budget controls to ensure prudent spending of state funds and also help manage the ogre of pending bills.
Nyakango was for 10 years a director of Finance and Administration at the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
Her main task would be to approve the release of monies from the Consolidated Fund Services.
