What gender balance? Only 12 women make it to Ruto PS list
From left: PS nominees Teresia Mbaika, Susan Mangeni, Beatrice Inyangala, Aurelia Rono.
President William Ruto has picked just 12 women, making up 23.5 percent of the nominees, to be part of his 51-member Principal Secretary (PS) list. PSs, one of the state's key top public servants, help Cabinet Secretaries in delivering government’s services to Kenyans.
The twelve lucky women to have featured in Dr Ruto’s PS list include Teresia Mbaika Malokwe (Devolution) and Esther Ngero (Performance and Delivery management), with the former expected to serve in the office of Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua if confirmed.
President Ruto has also picked Aurelia Rono (Parliamentary Affairs) and Caroline Nyawira Murage (Correctional Services).
In the State Department for Diaspora is PS nominee Roseline Njogu and Veronica Mueni Nduva in the State Department for Gender and Affirmative Action. Others are Dr Josephine Mburu (Public Health), Esther Thaara Muhorias (TVETs), Beatrice Inyangala (Higher Education and Research) and Susan Mangeni (MSMEs Development), Sylvia Naseya Muhoro (Wildlife) and Betsy Muthoni Njagi (Blue Economy and Fisheries).
Meanwhile, President Ruto's cabinet comprises 7 women out of a list of 24 picks. However, when he picked Mr Gachagua as his running mate in May, he had promised that 11 women will make it to his Cabinet Secretaries list.
During his campaigns, Dr Ruto had promised that women would play a key role in his administration.
Here's the full list of nominated PSs.
