CS Betty Maina has appointed Esther Ngari as the Acting Managing Director of the Kenya Bureau of Standards for a period of six months, effective immediately.
Ngari takes over from Col (Rtd) Bernard Njiraini whose term ended abruptly following a court ruling that dismissed his appointment as irregular. She becomes the second female to head the standards assurance agency after Eva Oduor who held the post back in 2012.
“I hereby appoint you as the Acting Managing Director to the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) with effect from 27th July 2022 for a period of 6 months or until the Court of Appeal determines or stays the judgement of the High Court, whichever is earlier,” read an excerpt from her letter of appointment.
Her appointment followed recommendations by the KEBS board, which submitted two names to the CS for consideration. Until her appointment, Ngari has been the agency’s Director of Standards.
Ngari has been lauded for her exemplary work in creating new standards that were previously non-existent in the country. Her appointment was communicated through Chief Administrative Secretary of the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Enterprise Development David Osiany.
Osiany has been in charge of the affairs of the Trade ministry in the absence of the CS who is away in Ghana on government duty.