This archive report was first published on 29 November 2019.
On November 29, 2019, Margaret Nyakango, the nominee for Controller of Budget, revealed her net worth during her vetting by Parliament.
According to her declaration, her net worth includes half the value of her family home, which she acquired through a mortgage.
She made the declaration before the National Assembly’s Committee on National Planning.
While her net worth of Sh. 68 million is significant, it is lower than that of other individuals recently vetted for top State jobs, with some having assets in excess of Sh. 150 million.
Former Cabinet minister Esther Murugi Mathenge, for instance, declared a net worth of Sh. 320 million while seeking to join the National Land Commission (NLC), while lawyer Gershom Otachi quoted properties worth Sh. 200 million for the same job.
As a director at the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) until her nomination, Mrs. Nyakango is aware of the importance of wealth declaration in the fight against corruption.
As required by the Constitution and the Public Officer Ethics Act, all State officials, including their spouses and dependent children, are required to submit their wealth declaration forms once every two years.