Dr. Esther Muoria is a seasoned manager and PhD Holder with over 30 years of experience in managerial roles, appointed by President William Ruto as the Principal Secretary of the State Department for Technical, Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
Her nomination by the president as the TVET PS was made hours after her swearing-in as the Embu County Secretary in 2022.
Out of the 250 people forwarded by the Public Service Commission (PSC) to the president for the position following the interviews, Esther was among the 51 selected.
“When I was appointed PS for TVET, I had a conversation with the technical officers that I found there, and we agreed that we needed to position TVET in a space where we were going to be confident that we were and are transforming the lives of the young people.” Muoria stated during an interview on KBC.
Esther Muoria’s Early Life and Educational Background
Esther Thaara Muoria is a Kenyan citizen born on March 4, 1965, in Embu County. Details on her early primary and secondary school education have not been publicly disclosed.
She holds a PhD in Human Resources from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), a Master of Arts in Gender and Development from the University of Nairobi (UON), and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from UON.
In 2003, Esther was trained in Strategic Management and Planning by the Kenya Institute of Administration from October 27 to 31.
Later in March 2009, she trained in Performance Management, Public Sector Reforms, and Performance Contracting. The PS has also undergone training in gender and disability mainstreaming on February 4, 2011, at the AICAD.
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Career and Achievements
Between 1989 and 1991, Esther worked as a Probation Officer in Kirinyaga and Thika districts and as a Senior Probation Officer in Thika and Kiambu Districts from 1991 to 2005.
She served at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology as an Assistant Registrar from 2005 to 2008.
At the university, the PS served as a Senior Assistant Registrar from 2008 to 2010 and Deputy Registrar (Senate Secretariat and Outreach) from 2010 to 2015.
Up to her nomination, the PS had been serving as the Registrar of Academic Affairs at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, a position she had held since October 2015.
Currently, she continues to serve as the PS for TVET, contributing to the effectiveness of TVET education.
She has been a member of the Institute of Human Resource Management since 2017 and has published several papers on gender, leadership, and corporate governance.
Awards
She received a certificate of appreciation from the Association of Universities and Colleges in 2011 and a certificate of recognition from JKUAT.
Esther was recognized with the Achievement of an Unmodified Audit Opinion Award and the Transformational Leadership Award during the 2025 End-of-Year Public Service Reflection Dinner and Agenda-Setting Retreat in Kisumu.
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Published Writings by the PS
- Doctorate Thesis; Strategies Adopted by Women to Accede to Leadership in the Public Sector in Kenya, August 2013.
- Education and Training as Successful Strategies Employed by Women to Accede to Leadership in the Public Sector in Kenya, International Journal of Business and Social Research Volume 2 No.4, August 2012.
- Linking Acceding of Women to Leadership with Conscientiousness and Neuroticism: Kenya Public Sector, International Journal of Business Management and Administration, ISSN 2327-3100.
- Community Involvement in Public Security Improvement, Journal of Human Resource and Improvement Entrepreneurship Development, ISSN 1819-4370.
- An analysis of the Effects of Corporate Governance International, Journal of Business on Performance of Commercial State Corporations, Analysis of the Contribution of Communication and Information sharing to High Performance in the Kenya Banking Sector, the Management University of Africa: ISSN 2074-4740 Kabarak University 1st Annual International Research Conference.
Net worth
The sources of income for Esther preceding her nomination comprised salary and Rental Income amounting to Kshs. 4,892,400 in the year 2021 and Kshs. 3,689,300 in the year 2022.
In 2022, her estimated net financial worth was KShs. 25,000,000, comprising land, company shares, and a car. Her current net worth in 2026 has not been publicized.
