CAROLINE KARUGU
| NATIONALITY | Kenyan |
| GENDER | Female |
| OCCUPATION | Politician |
Education Background
Dr. Caroline Karugu is a Kenyan politician who served as Nyeri’s Deputy Governor under Mwalimu Mutahi Kahia.
Caroline also served as part of Azimio secretariat in the run up to 2022 general elections.
She hails from Nyaribo, Kiganjo-Mathari Ward in Nyeri Town Constituency
Dr. Karugu holds a Bachelor of Commerce Double Major Degree in Business Administration and Marketing from Daystar University and a Global Executive MBA (Strategy) from USIU-Africa in partnership with the Frankfurt School of Finance in Germany.
She also holds a Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) Degree in Finance from USIU-Africa in collaboration with the Columbia Business School in New York.
Dr. Caroline Karugu Career experience
Dr. Karugu has over 15 years’ experience in the regional capital markets and financial services industry, holding various leadership positions in various organizations.
Prior to becoming Deputy Governor of Nyeri County, Dr. Karugu was the Chief Executive of Jabali Microserve Ltd, a commercial subsidiary of Jitegemee Trust, an organization dealing with Social Investments.
She served as Britam Group’s Senior Investor Relations Manager.
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Before joining Britam in October 2013, Dr. Karugu worked for the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE) as the Investor Relations and Communications Manager.
At the NSE, she was the pioneering Country Manager of the Securities Industry Training Institute (SITI), an East African securities training organization with the mandate of deepening knowledge within the capital markets participants.
She was also in charge of external affairs and government relations for the East African Stock Exchanges Association (EASEA). While working at the NSE, Caroline participated in the listing of several companies, rights issues, bond offers and private placement projects.
While working as the Corporate Affairs and Marketing Manager of the Kenya Union and Saving Cooperatives (KUSCCO), Carol made outstanding contributions to the Kenyan Cooperative movement where she spearheaded efforts of organizing young people to form SACCOs.
Awards
In 2010, she won the prestigious World Young Credit Union Professionals (WYCUP) award sponsored by the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) in the United States.
This global award is given to the top 5 individuals who have made significant contributions to their credit union system and have the potential to make a global impact.
Dr. Karugu has also served in various leadership capacities across various organizations, in board and ambassadorial roles.
She was among the private sector professionals appointed by President Uhuru Kenyatta to take up a board position in the Geothermal Development Company where she chaired the Board Technical and Strategy Committees and had spearheaded the restructuring of the State Corporation
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Karugu’s Political Career
In 2019, Nyeri County Governor Kahiga Mutai nominated Caroline Wanjiru Karugu as the county’s deputy governor. Her name was presented to the County Assembly for vetting, and she ascended to the role of deputy governor.
The deputy governor’s position felt void since November 2017 when Kahiga Mutahi, former deputy governor, took up the position of governor after the demise of the then county boss, Wahome Gakuru
In March 2020, Dr. Karugu was elected as the Chair of the Deputy Governors’ Forum and in November 2020 She was also appointed Kenya Goodwill ambassador for Palliative care by Kenya Hospices and Palliative Care Association (KEHPCA).
On March 20, 2025, President William Ruto nominated Dr. Karugu to be Principal Secretary in the State Department for East African Community Affairs.
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