Ruto Re-Hires Kenya's First Senate Speaker As HELB Chair
Ethuro, who served as the first Speaker of the modern Kenyan Senate on March 28, 2013, will serve at the top helm of HELB for a period of five years.
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President William Ruto has re-appointed former Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro as the Chairperson of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
Ethuro, who served as the first Speaker of the modern Kenyan Senate on March 28, 2013, will serve at the top helm of HELB for a period of five years.
The appointment took effect on Tuesday, September 19, 2023.
"In exercise of the powers conferred by section 4 (1) (a) of the Higher Education Loans Board Act, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces re-appoints Ekwee Ethuro to be the Chairperson of the Higher Education Loans Board, for a period of five (5) years, with effect from the 19th September 2023," the Gazette Notice read in part.
Kenyans at HELB offices. /PEOPLE DAILY
The Chairperson of HELB plays a vital role in ensuring that HELB is able to provide affordable and accessible financing to Kenyan students pursuing higher education.
As the Chairperson of HELB, Ethuro is responsible for providing leadership and direction to the Board in order to meet its statutory obligations.
Section 4 (1) (a) of the Higher Education Loans Board Act, grants Ethuro powers to chair all board meetings and ensure that the Board's business is conducted in a fair and efficient manner.
He is also expected to guidance and support to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other members of the Board.
From 1998 to 2013, Ethuro served as a Member of Parliament representing Turkana Central. He also served as the Assistant Minister for Planning and National Development from 1998 to 2002 under the government of President Daniel Arap Moi.
He was re-elected as Member of Parliament for Turkana Central in the 2007 general elections and steered the proceedings of the 10th Parliament in the position of acting Speaker of the House whenever the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker were absent.
During his tenure as a young parliamentarian, Rt. Hon. Ethuro chaired various committees and caucus including the Budget Committee, Bunge Health Club, Kenya Parliamentarians Network on Population and Development, Constitutional Oversight and Implementation, Information, Communication & Technology among others.
He also played a pivotal role in the establishment of parliamentary caucuses such as being the founder Secretary General of the Population and Development Network, the Pastoralists Parliamentary Group, the Children's Parliamentary Network, the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association, the Parliamentary Network on Poverty Reduction & MDGs, the Parliamentary Committee to investigate Illegal Organizations and the Eradication of Cattle Rustling.
Ethuro became Speaker of the Senate after the first election under the 2010 Constitution. A close Ruto ally, he was a member of the URP party which merged with TNA to form the Jubilee Alliance.
