Editor's Review

The 62-year-old was born in Gatundu North Constituency, Kiambu County.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary nominee Dr. Andrew Mwihia Karanja has disclosed that he is a native of Gatundu North Constituency, Kiambu County.

Appearing before the National Assembly vetting committee on Friday, August 2, the 62-year-old intimated that he began his early education in the area before heading to secondary school in the same area and eventually the University of Nairobi.

"I took my primary education in the locality then went on to secondary schools in Kiambu County, Uthiru, and Githiga High School, and in 1984 I joined the University of Nairobi for Bachelors Degree in Agriculture which I graduated in 1987 before going back to the same institution for a Masters Degree in Agriculture Economics," Dr. Mwihia remarked.

The CS nominee further disclosed that he has a PhD in Development Economics from Wegeningen University in the Netherlands.

"As far as I am concerned, I have the requisite academic qualifications, mostly related to Agriculture," Mwihia added.

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National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula chairing the vetting committee.

He noted that his professional career began in 1987 as an extension officer in Baringo County before working as a planning officer in the Ministry of Agriculture.

Dr. Mwihia also worked as a lecturer at the then Embu Institute of Agriculture and then joined the Coffee Research Foundation (CRF) where he worked for 11 years as an agricultural economist and head of department.

He then worked at the Tegemeo Policy Research Institute before joining the World Bank branch in Nairobi as a senior agricultural economist.

"During my tenure at World Bank, I had the privilege to lead some of the big programmes in Agriculture from the World Bank which supported the government in various areas. And also during those programmes, I interacted with the then Cabinet Secretaries and Permanent Secretaries in various ministries. So I have a vast knowledge of government operations," Dr. Mwihia remarked.

The CS nominee disclosed that he is worth Sh214 million, made up of his family residences, apartments, vehicles, land and deposits in bank accounts.

If approved by the committee, he will take over from former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi.