Jacinta Wanjala Mwatela is a veteran Kenyan banker, former Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Deputy Governor, and politician whose career has spanned banking, public service, and electoral politics.
Mwatela has recently returned to the public spotlight following an NTV documentary that revisited her 32 years at CBK and her encounters with some of Kenya’s most controversial financial affairs.
Jacinta Mwatela’s Early Life and Education
Mwatela was born in Njawuli village in Mghange, Wundanyi, Taita-Taveta County, in 1954.
Jacinta started her education at Njawuli Primary School in Mghange and later joined Bura Girls High School for her O-level studies.
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Mwatela later proceeded to Loreto Limuru High School for Forms Five and Six. She then joined the University of Nairobi, where she pursued a Bachelor of Commerce.
Her banking career began soon after university, when she joined the Central Bank of Kenya as a graduate trainee in December 1977.
Jacinta Mwatela’s Career at the Central Bank of Kenya
Mwatela spent about 32 years at CBK, working in different departments and rising through the institution’s ranks.
Her career placed her in the middle of several major financial controversies. While working in the Exchange Control Department, she questioned documentation supporting export compensation claims tied to the Goldenberg scandal.
Mwatela recalled questioning documents presented to her for approval, saying some did not prove that goods had left Kenya.
Her position brought her into conflict with businessman Kamlesh Pattni, a central figure in the Goldenberg affair. She recalled refusing to approve compensation because she was not satisfied with the documents presented.
Mwatela also said she questioned the treatment Pattni received at CBK and resisted attempts to access her office without an appointment. She was subsequently transferred from the department after she refused to sign documents she considered questionable.
Her insistence on procedure continued as she took on senior responsibilities at the central bank. She was appointed Deputy Governor of CBK on May 12, 2005, becoming the first woman to hold the position. In March 2006, she became the bank’s first female Acting Governor.
As Acting Governor, Mwatela was involved in the action against Charterhouse Bank following investigations into alleged financial irregularities.
Mwatela said she faced resistance from then Finance Minister Amos Kimunya before the decision was approved. She maintained that delaying action could expose depositors to greater risk.
Her career also intersected with the controversy surrounding the Grand Regency Hotel and a disputed currency-printing procurement process involving De La Rue.
In September 2008, Mwatela declined an appointment as Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Northern Kenya Development and Arid Areas. She argued that her term at CBK was still unexpired. She subsequently left the central bank after more than three decades of service.
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Jacinta Mwatela Family and Political Journey
Mwatela is married to Calist Andrew Mwatela, a Kenyan politician and former educator who served as the Member of Parliament for Mwatate Constituency from 2007 to 2013. He had also represented Kenya in the East African Legislative Assembly and served as an Assistant Minister for Education.
Mwatela entered active electoral politics after leaving CBK. In the 2013 General Election, she contested the Taita-Taveta gubernatorial seat on a Wiper ticket.
During the elections, Mwatela lost to John Mtuta Mruttu, who won with 34,290 votes, while Mwatela came second with 32,890 votes.
Mwatela challenged the election in court, alleging irregularities in the conduct and tallying of the gubernatorial poll. The High Court considered her petition but dismissed it on October 3, 2013.
She remained active in Taita-Taveta politics and again entered the county’s gubernatorial contest in the 2017 General Election. She finished fifth in the election, which was won by Granton Samboja.
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