Margaret Nyakang’o caused a political stir in the country on Tuesday, March 7, after she revealed that she was forced to approve Ksh10 billion within 26 minutes of getting the request.
In a report tabled before Parliament, the Controller of Budget (CoB) made a confession revealing her misgivings about approving such a huge sum four days before the General Election. She noted that she was forced to approve the transaction by senior government officials.
The revelations aside, very few Kenyans, however, know Nyakang’o's illustrious career and impeccable academic qualifications to the top of controlling the government's spending.
Kenyans.co.ke profiled her net worth, career and professional background.
Net worth
While being vetted for the CoB position in November 2019, Nyakang’o revealed that she was worth Ksh68 million.
She termed her wealth as modest compared to other state officers revealing that most of the wealth was the value of her house.
“We have just finished repaying our mortgage and I have taken half of that house and put it in my declaration as part of my net worth,” she told Parliament Vetting Committee at the time.
According to the Salary and Remunerations Commission (SRC), the Controller of Budget takes home an annual pay package of Ksh25.4 million.
Career background
Nyakang’o was appointed to the high-profile office in December 2019 after she was nominated by Former President Uhuru Kenyatta and subsequently vetted by the Parliament.
Prior to being appointed as CoB, she tutored for a year at KCA university where she was a lecturer in Public Sector Finance from January 2019 to December 2019.
She also served as the Director of Finance and Administration at the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) for a decade between November 2008 and October 2018.
Her first major job was as Principal Auditor at the Controller and Auditor’s General Office where she worked between November 1983 and October 1994.
Other places she has worked include; Lake Basin Development Authority, Bob Morgan Services Limited, Harambee Sacco Society, Nairobi Evangelical Graduate School of Theology and Mitun Business Consulting Limited.
Educational background
Nyakong’o is an accomplished academician and holds a Doctorate in Business Administration from the University of Liverpool.
She also holds a Master of Business Administration – Strategic Management option from the University of Nairobi.
Nyakang’o is also a Certified Sacco Professional which she earned at Strathmore University.
Her other certifications and licences include; Certified Public Accountant of Kenya, Certified ISO 9001:2008 Internal Auditor and Certified Sacco Professional.
