Politics

Rebecca Miano: A Profile of Ruto’s Attorney General Nominee

Published

4 months ago

July 19, 2024

Rebecca Miano, a prominent Kenyan lawyer and current Cabinet Secretary, stands out for her impactful career in public service.

Born and raised in Nyandarua County, she has held key positions, including CEO of KenGen and Cabinet Secretary for East African Community and Arid Lands.

Her tenure has seen both significant achievements and controversies, notably involving accusations of financial irregularities.

Miano’s personal life, marked by her marriage to an environmental expert and her role as a mother, complements her professional journey.

This article delves into her evolving story which continues to capture public and political interest.

Who is Rebecca Miano?

Rebecca Wanjiku Miano, born in 1966 and currently 58 years old, is a Kenyan lawyer and a nominee for the position of Attorney General of Kenya.

She has served as the Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade & Industry since October 2023 but was dismissed from this role on July 11, 2024.

Previously, she was the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community, ASALs, and Regional Development.

Despite facing corruption scandals in her earlier roles and having questionable legal skills, she has been nominated for Attorney General following a series of anti-government protests.

Before joining the Cabinet, she was the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of KenGen Plc, the largest electricity producer in East Africa, from November 2017.

She was officially confirmed in this role on November 1, 2017, after serving in an acting capacity since August 2017.

Early Life and Education

Miano was born and raised in Ndaragua Constituency, Nyandarua County. She is the second youngest of 14 children.

She attended Kapropita Girls School in Baringo County and then went to the University of Nairobi to study law. Later, she earned a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.

Miano also completed postgraduate studies in Comparative Law at the University of Australia.

She holds a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Nairobi and attended the Advocates Training Programme at the Kenya School of Law.

Additionally, she earned a Master of Laws in Comparative Law from the Australian National University.

Professional Career

Miano started her career at a law firm in Nairobi called Musyoka Annan & Company Advocates. She then worked at Slater and Gordon, a law firm in Queensland, Australia.

In 1998, she joined Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) as an assistant legal officer. She gradually moved up to become the assistant company secretary.

By August 2017, she was the Director of Legal Affairs and Company Secretary at KenGen. She held these roles since 2008. She was promoted to Acting Managing Director in August 2017.

In November 2017, Miano was appointed as Managing Director, beating 90 other candidates. She replaced Albert Mugo, who retired after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 60.

Miano became the first and only female chief executive at KenGen.

By that time, she was one of only two women leading a parastatal company in Kenya, the other being MaryJane Mwangi of the National Oil Corporation of Kenya.

Career in government

Miano later served as the Cabinet Secretary for East African Community and Arid and Semi-Arid Lands. H.E. Dr. William Samoei Ruto announced this appointment on September 27, 2022, at State House, Kenya.

In 2023, she succeeded Moses Kuria as the Trade Minister.

On May 23, 2024, Miano attended a state dinner hosted by U.S. President Joe Biden in honor of President Ruto at the White House.

Miano is a member of the Law Society of Kenya and the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya.

Rebecca Miano Scandals

Earlier this year, Rebecca Miano faced accusations of procurement and financial irregularities from her time as CEO of Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen).

A lobby group filed an ouster petition at the High Court, accusing her of spending Ksh94 billion of taxpayers’ money on ineffective power generation projects.

She also faced criticism for contributing to recent national blackouts. The accusations include commissioning unusable high-voltage transmission lines and conducting feasibility studies for two new power plants that never became operational.

Personal Life

Rebecca Miano is married to an environmental expert and has two biological children and a niece. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, watching plays, and occasional knitting.

Her son, Peter Miano, celebrated his traditional wedding with his fiancé, Wambui Kibe, in Nairobi on April 6, 2024.

Rebecca Miano’s Net Worth

Rebecca’s net worth is estimated at Ksh. 500 million. When she joined Ruto’s cabinet in 2022, her net worth was Ksh. 397 million, as reported during her vetting before Parliament on October 21, 2022.

She explained that she and her husband built their wealth over 30 years.

At that time, she noted they owned two houses: one in Nairobi and one in their rural home. They also had three vehicles: a Toyota Prado, an Isuzu truck, and a Mitsubishi Pajero.

Rebecca shared with the vetting committee, “I have a house in Nairobi, another in Nyahururu, and the rest are properties my husband and I have acquired over the last 30 years. The value reflects the current market value, which has appreciated over time.”

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