The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) announced the appointment of Esther Ngari as Acting Managing Director on Thursday, as part of a slew of new senior management appointments.
Ms. Ngari will now fill the void created by KEBS boss Lt. Col (Rtd) Bernard Njiraini, who was suspended together with 27 other government officials by President William Ruto on Wednesday.
Ms. Ngari previously worked as the Director of Standards Development and Trade at the State Department.
This will not be her first stint as Acting Managing Director; she also held the job last year when Col (Rtd) Njiraini’s term ended abruptly due to a court judgement that invalidated his appointment as irregular.
In a statement on Thursday, KEBS stated that it had also resolved to replace suspended Director of Quality Assurance and Inspection, Dr. Geoffrey Muriira, with Bernard Nguyo, who would likewise serve in an acting capacity.
The State agency went ahead to announce more changes as follows; Zachariah Lukorito (Acting Director of Standards Development and Trade), Peter Makan (Acting Chief Manager, Quality Assurance – Nairobi), Mutuma Muthuri (Acting Manager, Inspection – Mombasa Port Office), and Henry Sambul (Acting Assistant Manager, Kilindini).
President Ruto on Wednesday suspended 27 government officials following the disappearance of 20,000 bags of contaminated sugar that is suspected to have found its way into the market despite being condemned and seized by KEBS.
The officials sent home to pave the way for investigations are attached to KEBS, Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), National Police Service (NPS) and Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).
