Suzanne Silantoi is the Nairobi County Committee Executive member in charge of the county’s health, wellness, and nutrition.
She took over the role in August 2023 and is basically responsible for transforming healthcare services for the people of Nairobi.
Nairobi County has about 124 health facilities with over 4000 health workers and an additional 7800 health extension workers.
Aside from healthcare, Silantoi is also responsible for overseeing the Nairobi County School Feeding Programme, known as “Dishi na County”.
The program reportedly distributes over 300,000 subsidized, nutritionally balanced, hot meals every school day for all children in public primary schools and public ECD centers in Nairobi County.
But who exactly is Suzanne Silantoi?
Suzanne Silantoi’s Background
Silantoi was born and raised in Nairobi and is half-caste of the Maasai and Samburu communities.
She attended Moi Girls High School before joining Kenyatta University, where she graduated in 2015 with a Bachelor of Music degree.
She later earned a Master’s degree in Public Policy Analysis from the University of York. Her LinkedIn profile also indicates that she holds a certificate in Political Economic Risk Analysis from Stellenbosch University.
Silantoi first attracted national attention in 2017 when, at just 23 years old, she ran for the Nairobi senatorial seat.
Among her competitors was Johnson Sakaja, who later became Nairobi governor.
In 2022, she switched camps and joined Sakaja’s campaign team, and when he was successfully elected as governor, Sakaja appointed her as a County Executive Committee (CEC) member for Inclusivity, Public Participation and Customer Service.
In 2023, she was promoted to a higher docket, becoming the CEC in charge of the Nairobi County’s health programs.
Before joining the county government, Silantoi worked as a policy analyst for Africa Practice.
Before that, she was working as a program officer for the Nairobi-based Centre for Behaviour Change and Communication.
Suzanne Silantoi’s Net Worth
Suzanne Silantoi’s net worth became public during her vetting by the Nairobi County Assembly in 2022.
During the exercise, she declared that she was worth at least KSh 36 million, including savings of about KSh 900,000.
She attributed her wealth to shared family property, including ancestral tracts of land in Samburu County, saying that she hailed from a family of one sibling.
Suzanne Silantoi’s Salary and Allowances
As a County Executive Committee Member (CECM), Silantoi’s salary is determined and reviewed by the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC), which is also responsible for determining the salaries of other state officers.
SRC remuneration reports estimate that CECMs in Kenya earn a basic salary of KSh 242,550 per month.
They also receive an airtime allowance of KSh 10,000 per month, as well as a monthly house allowance of ksh 80,000.
CECs are also entitled to official transport provided by the county government, which includes a vehicle with an engine capacity not exceeding 2000cc.
Additionally, they are entitled to annual medical insurance for themselves, one spouse, and up to four dependent children under 25 years.
The cover includes ksh 3 million for inpatient services, ksh 200 000 for outpatient services, ksh 100 000 for maternity services, ksh 50 000 for dental services, and ksh 50 000 for optical services.
CECMs may also access a ksh 4 million car loan and a mortgage of up to KSh 20 million, at the rate of 3% p.a
Controversy
Silantoi’s tenure as a CECM has not been without blemishes.
Since 2023, she has become a central figure during prolonged strikes by doctors, nurses, clinical officers, and other Nairobi County health workers, appearing several times before the County Assembly Health Committee.
Various medical unions have also accused the county government of delays in promotions, gratuity payments, insurance issues, and implementation of previous agreements.
Silantoi has also been criticized for her management of Nairobi’s health sector, including staffing, promotions, labor relations, and service delivery.
However, she has consistently defended the county’s record, arguing that most grievances had either been resolved or were being addressed.