DUNCAN NDEGWA, THE MAN WHO HELD CENTRAL BANK FOR LONG.

 In my blog, The Funny Side of James Gichuru as Finance Minister, the name Duncan Ndegwa featured. So who was Duncan Ndegwa? Duncan Ndegwa was the first head of civil service in independent Kenya. He was born in 1925. In history of Central Bank, he was the longest serving CBK Governor. He served from 1967 to 1982. He was the second CBK Governor after Leo Baranski. He retired in 1982 aged 55. 

Duncan Ndegwa's Education Background

Duncan Ndegwa started his early education in Ngagarithi Primary School and went to Kagumo High School in 1941. He then went to Alliance High School for his ''O'' level in 1944.

In 1947, he was appointed the school captain and was a member of the 1st Hockey X1 team. He joined Makerere and completed with a Diploma in Education where he earned a triple "A".

In 1952, through government's sponsorship program, he joined  St.. Andrews University where he graduated with with a Master of Arts(Hons) in Economics and History in 1956. 

Duncan Ndegwa when he was awarded honorary degree from DKUAT

           Career Life

Mr. Duncan Ndegwa was first employed as as a mathematics teacher at Kagumo High School. In 1962, M r. Ndegwa was Permanent Secretary at the Treasury in charge of Economic Planning  Development. He would later be appointed as a statistical officer with East African High Commission.

In 1963, Mr. Ndegwa was appointed as Permanent Secretary in the office of the Prime Minister  and the Secretary to the Cabinet. 

In 1967, Ndegwa was appointed to oversee the transformation of Kenya's Monetary and fiscal systems from East African Currency Board to the Central Bank of Kenya. He served for four terms as the governor of the Central Bank and retired in 1983.

Ndegwa commission of 1971

Duncan Ndegwa chaired several Commissions, among them is The Ndegwa Commission of 1970s. Ndegwa Commission on Public Service Structure and Remuneration Commission 1970-71 noted that the government wages policy will influence the allocation of total national resources, human as well as physical. It noted the structure of remuneration was distorted by a number of factors including the differential impact of fringe benefits which play an important role in remuneration; disparities between average wages in the private sector and a relatively small but very important “high wage sector”. Further the Commission noted that the public sector had exercised much restraint with regard to wages. The Commission recommended a system of job evaluation whereby the then 78 civil service salary grades would be rationalized and placed into 15 job groups.  In addition, it paved the way for public servants to engage in business. It was argued at the time, that allowing public servants to engage in business was an important strategy for indigenizing the business sector that was until then dominated by foreigners. The whole thing viewed as important complement to other efforts made to Africanize the Kenyan economy.  The recommendation by Ndegwa however permitted public servants to officially straddle between public service and the private sector. Towards the end of the 1970s, there was a hue and cry that this arrangement, which was quickly becoming common practice, encouraged abuse of public office.

Achievements of Duncan Ndegwa

He saved many golf clubs from collapsing. When he was CBK governor, golf clubs in the country started admitting  Kenyans. He is further credited for embracing and strengthening good monetary and fiscal policy.