NCA Appoints Qs. Susan Rutto as Acting Executive Director in Leadership Transition

Qs. Rutto, a founding staff member with 20 years’ experience, takes over as Registrar of Contractors and Secretary to the Board

The National Construction Authority (NCA) has announced a major leadership change with the appointment of *Qs. Susan C. Rutto as the Acting Executive Director, Registrar of Contractors and Secretary to the Board, effective 4th September 2026.

In a formal notice signed by Board Chairperson Mercy Okiro, FCIArb, the Authority said the appointment guarantees continuity and strategic direction at a critical time for Kenya’s Sh2.5 trillion construction industry.

Qs. Rutto takes over the helm of the Authority that is mandated to regulate, streamline and build capacity in the construction sector, including registration of contractors, accreditation of skilled construction workers and site supervisors, and enforcement of quality and safety standards.

She is substantively the Authority’s General Manager, Registration and Accreditation, a position she has held since June 2020. Prior to that, she served as Manager, Registration and Compliance from December 2013.

According to the Board, her elevation is a nod to institutional memory, professional depth and tested leadership.

“The Board is confident that Qs. Rutto’s institutional knowledge, leadership experience and understanding of the construction industry will provide the Authority with the continuity and strategic direction needed during this transition,” Ms Okiro said in the appointment notice.

A founding pillar of NCA

Qs. Rutto is not new to NCA. She was among the Authority’s key founding staff members when it was established under the National Construction Authority Act of 2011 to rid the industry of quacks, collapse of buildings and unregulated practices.

Insiders credit her with playing a pivotal role in establishing the contractor registration function — the very heart of NCA’s mandate. She was instrumental in developing the evaluation criteria used to vet and categorise contractors from NCA1 to NCA8, and in initiating the contractor registration process that today has over 80,000 registered contractors in Kenya.