President William Ruto has nominated former Wildlife Principal Secretary Susan Koech to become the second Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Kenya.

Ruto’s message on Dr Koech’s nomination is expected to be presented to the Senate on Tuesday for consideration when the senators resume sitting following a long recess.

Dr Koech holds a doctorate in business administration from the Moi University and was the KCB Group Nairobi regional head before she joined public service in March 2018.

If approved, she will become the second CBK deputy governor as required by the law, with the Auditor General on a number of occasions raising how the vacancy violated the law.

The law passed in 2015 requires CBK’s executive team to have the governor (currently Patrick Njoroge) and two deputies, with one deputy post being vacant for the last decade.

She is set to replace Dr Njoroge at the helm of the banking regulator when the terms of Njoroge and his only deputy Sheila M’Mbijjewe end on June 17, 2023 after serving the maximum eight years.

Dr Koech was originally charged over the Arror and Kimwarer dams tenders scandals before being converted to a State witness and the scam is set to dominate vetting in Parliament.

Top officials in the President Uhuru Kenyatta government led by former Treasury CS Henry Rotich were accused of exaggerating the building costs from Sh46 billion to Sh63 billion.