Ex-Auditor General Edward Ouko Gets New Government Role in Fresh Appointments
Former Auditor General Edward Ouko has officially returned to a high-level government role after being appointed as the chairperson of the Anti-Money Laundering Advisory Board.
His appointment was announced by Treasury and Economic Planning Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi through a gazette notice dated September 19, and he will serve a three-year term.
Ouko’s Journey as Auditor General
Ouko made history as the first Auditor General under Kenya’s 2010 Constitution, taking office in August 2011 and serving until August 2019. The new Constitution gave his office more powers, expanding its mandate to include auditing not only the national government but also all 47 county governments.
During his eight years in office, Ouko became known for producing hard-hitting audit reports that revealed massive misuse of public funds.
His office exposed corruption scandals in both county governments and key ministries within the national government. One of his most controversial audits focused on the Eurobond, a loan worth Ksh200 billion, where he flagged mismanagement of the proceeds.
These findings placed him on a collision path with the Executive. His clashes with the government became so intense that he even went to court to challenge an alleged plan by former President Uhuru Kenyatta to remove him from office.
Upon leaving office, Ouko openly stated that political persecution was one of the biggest challenges he endured during his tenure. He further accused Uhuru’s administration of withdrawing both his security and pension benefits nine months after his term ended.
Life After Auditor General Role
After completing his term, Ouko chose to keep a low public profile for some time. However, in 2023, he was recalled to public service by former Treasury Cabinet Secretary Njuguna Ndung’u, who appointed him as chairperson of an 18-member committee to probe the government’s pending bills.
This committee was tasked with setting up clear guidelines for reviewing and analyzing claims related to pending bills.
The goal was to establish which bills were legitimate and which could be linked to fraudulent practices. Ouko and his team also recommended cases of suspected fraud to investigative agencies such as the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI).
Another key responsibility of the committee was to propose reforms that would stop the accumulation of pending bills in the future.
The committee remains active, and in the same gazette notice announcing Ouko’s new role, CS Mbadi also extended its term until December 31, 2025.
As of early 2025, the committee had analyzed claims worth Ksh474 billion out of a total of about Ksh665 billion submitted. Out of these, bills amounting to Ksh206 billion were cleared, particularly those valued at less than Ksh10 million.
In addition, in 2024, Ouko was also tapped by Siaya Governor James Orengo to join a 7-member committee to oversee financial reforms in the county.
The committee was tasked with reviewing revenue collection systems and evaluating human resource management in order to improve financial accountability in the county.
Ouko’s Background Before Auditor General Role
Before becoming Kenya’s Auditor General, Ouko had built a strong career in international finance. He worked at the African Development Bank (AfDB) for more than 24 years, from 1987 until his appointment as Auditor General in 2011.
At AfDB, he was in charge of audit functions, anti-corruption efforts, and fraud investigations, experience that made him one of the most qualified individuals to lead Kenya’s audit office.
Other Government Appointments
In the same round of appointments, other state institutions also saw new faces. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced new members to the Tea Board of Kenya.
The appointees include Jackline Cherono, Joseph Karioki Ngige, and William Otemba Oyosi, who will all serve for a three-year term.
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