Naphtaly Rono appointed director-general of Financial Reporting Centre

Naphtaly Kipchirchir Rono/HANDOUT

The Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury, John Mbadi Ng’ongo, has appointed Naphtaly Kipchirchir Rono as the new Director-General of the Financial Reporting Centre (FRC).

The appointment was made under section 25 (3) of the Proceeds of Crime and Anti-Money Laundering Act (Cap. 59A).

Rono will serve a six-year term at the agency, which is tasked with monitoring financial transactions and combating money laundering. The formal appointment was published in Gazette Notice No. 2569 dated 23rd February, 2026.

Mbadi stated that the appointment was made “in exercise of the powers conferred by section 25 (3)” of the law.

Rionowas the head of legal affairs previously at the National Intelligence Service (NIS), and succeeds Saitoti Maika in his new role.

Rono will now be tasked with the responsibility of addressing concerns raised about Kenya’s financial transactions that have left the country on the grey list despite key reforms.

Grey-listing means the country is under increased monitoring and is working with the FATF to address its inability to counter money laundering and terror financing using existing laws, policies and strategies.

It adversely impacts Kenya’s investment attractiveness and undermines its credibility as a reliable regional partner.

On 17 June 2025, President William Ruto signed the Anti-Money Laundering and Combating of Terrorism Financing Laws (Amendment) Act, 2025, into law.

The act is intended to address deficiencies in Kenya’s money laundering and terrorism financing framework as identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global watchdog for these crimes.