Stage set for the hiring of next audit office boss

Kenya looks set to have its next Auditor-General this financial year after the newly constituted selection panel short-listed 10 candidates for interviews next month.

The candidates — eight men and two women picked from a total of 67 applicants — will be interviewed between June 2-3 after a court in March declined to stop the fresh recruitment that began in December.

Former Treasury official Mutua Kilaka heads the new panel that replaced the one chaired by Sammy Onyango, which in February failed to select Mr Ouko’s successor saying none of of the previous applicants qualified for the position.

“The selection panel has finalised shortlisting of the candidates who applied for the re-advertised position of the Auditor-General,” Mr Kilaka said on Friday.

Mr Ouko retired in August last year, leaving behind a paralysis at the Kenya National Audit Office as none of the six deputies has a constitutional mandate to sign off audit reports for tabling in Parliament.

The panel is expected to forward the names of three top candidates to President Uhuru Kenyatta seven days after the last day of interview, which will be June 12.

Mr Kenyatta will in turn nominate one candidate and forward the name to the National Assembly within seven days for debate and approval or rejection.

Under the Public Audit Act, the National Assembly has three days to approve or reject the President’s nominee.

Last week, Parliament changed its standing orders to allow for virtual sittings in the wake of the coronavirus, meaning that legislators may approve the President’s nominee for Auditor-General using Internet-based platforms.