ICAEW recognised Edward ‘Eddie’ Ouko for his career achievements at its Annual Dinner on 26th March. 

Ouko, who qualified as an ICAEW Chartered Accountant in 1982, was presented with the Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of his exceptional record of public service as Auditor General of the Republic of Kenya and his bravery and dedication in combating corruption in the country.

He served as Kenya’s first Auditor General from 2011 to 2019, following a new constitution that widened the mandate of the Office of the Auditor General in the country to cover national government as well as 47 devolved county governments.

Eddie says he feared for his life both during and after his time as Auditor General. For example, when he questioned the Kenyan government's expenditure of the controversial Eurobond proceeds, even the president publicly lashed out at Ouko for questioning what he claimed was a clear expenditure of the proceeds. 

Ouko’s position on the subject landed him in trouble with lawmakers who threatened to prematurely end his accounting career. He was also at loggerheads with a section of County Governors, which he linked to the mismanagement of public funds in his yearly financial audit reports.

“I served the country at a time when the country was politically polarised, and the leadership controlled both the executive and the legislature to whom I was responsible,” he says. “The expected protection by Parliament was thus compromised except for the minority lawmakers. Adverse audit revelations were not welcomed, nor the recommendations respected.”

Elsewhere Ouko served as a member of the Audit Committees of various UN Agencies, including the Audit Committee of Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), where he was Chair for five years. He was an external member of the Audit Committee of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for the Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) from May 2006 to May 2011.

He also previously served as Auditor General at the African Development Bank. There, he directed the audit function and was in charge of the anti-corruption and fraud function. He worked in various capacities with the African Development Bank (AfDB) for more than 24 years. Also, between 2013 and 2019, he represented Africa on the ICAEW Council.

He is a member of the Advisory Board of the Vienna-based International Anti-Corruption Academy (IACA). He also served as a member of the Audit and Risk Committee of the African Capacity Building Foundation (ACBF).

Mark Rhys, ICAEW President, says: “We are delighted to present Eddie with ICAEW’s Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of the remarkable courage he showed as Auditor General of the Republic of Kenya and his outstanding record of public service. At a time when strengthening trust in chartered accountants and the wider profession is crucial, Eddie is a role model.

“On behalf of ICAEW I offer my congratulations to Eddie for his achievements.”