New Cabinet to be sworn in Thursday
President William Ruto has officially appointed his 24 Cabinet Secretaries just hours after the National Assembly approved them.
In a Gazette Notice, the head of state says the 24-member Cabinet will assume office tomorrow, Thursday October 27. This will be after they are sworn-in at State House, Nairobi.
Also gazetted is the Attorney General appointee Justin Muturi and Secretary to Cabinet Mercy Wanjau.
The National Assembly had earlier Wednesday morning approved President Ruto’s nominees, paving way for their appointment to the top Executive offices in charge of developing and implementing policy and government programmes.
Also Read: The richest CS in Uhuru's Cabinet
The House approved the appointment of Prime Cabinet Secretary nominee, Musalia Mudavadi, whom President Ruto has primed to coordinate legislative policy and chair Principal Secretary Committees to supervise delivery of government projects.
Others are Aden Duale (Defense), Labour Cabinet Secretary Simon Chelugui (Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, MSMEs), Alice Wahome (Water, Sanitation and Irrigation), former Tharaka Nithi Senator Prof Kithure Kindiki (Interior and National Administration), former Gatundu South MP Moses Kuria (Trade, Investment and Industry) and Ms Susan Nakhumicha (Health).
Also approved were Elgeyo Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen (Roads, Transport and Public Works), former Narok Woman Representative Soipan Tuya (Environment and Forestry), former Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Prof Njuguna Ndung’u (National Treasury and Planning), and former Nyaribari Masaba MP Ezekiel Machogu (Education).
Former Raila Odinga aide Mr Eliud Owalo (ICT and Digital Economy), former KenGen boss Ms Rebecca Miano (East African Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development), Ms Florence Bore (Labour and Social Protection) and Zacharia Njeru (Lands, Housing and Urban Development) were also okayed by the National Assembly.
Also approved by the House were Mr Davis Chirchir (Energy and Petroleum), former Kwale Governor Salim Mvurya (Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs), Ms Mercy Wanjau (Secretary to the Cabinet), Alfred Mutua (Foreign and Diaspora Affairs), Ababu Namwamba (Youth Affairs, Sports and the Arts) and Peninah Malonza (Tourism and Wildlife).
Uhuru's Cabinet
After being sworn in tomorrow to immediately take up their roles, it will bring to an end the tenure of ex-President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Cabinet which had still been in office even after Dr Ruto assumed office September 13 for the ease of transition.
Apart from Mr Chelugui and Dr Monica Juma who have been retained in the Kenya Kwanza administration, the likes of Fred Matiang’i (Interior), Raychelle Omamo (Foreign Affairs), Joe Mucheru (ICT), Eugene Wamalwa (Defence), Ukur Yatani (National Treasury), Peter Munya (Agriculture), Keriako Tobiko (Environment), James Macharia (Transport), Mutahi Kagwe (Health) among others, will be exiting officially.
Mr Yatani, while outlining the achievements he has made in the Ministry of National Treasury said his loyalty will remain to the former Head of State even as he said he is preparing to hand over before taking a rest from the public.
“Rest assured of my continued friendship and loyalty even as you enter into the new phase of life. I am looking forward to a smooth handover and taking a little rest,” said Mr Yatani.
Mr Wamalwa who said he had shelved his political ambitions to assist Mr Kenyatta achieve his legacy told the Nation that he is going back to his law profession as he strategies on how to vie for presidency in 2027.
Although he is going back to practicing law, Mr Wamalwa said his Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K) will join other Azimio affiliate parties to form a vibrant opposition.
“Yes, I am going back to practicing law, I am just waiting to hand over the Devolution and Defence dockets then l go back to active practice of Law and Politics. My Party will stand strongly shoulder to shoulder with other Azimio affiliates in the opposition to check this administration. If there’s a time Kenya ever needed a strong opposition, it is now,” said Mr Wamalwa in an interview recently.
President Ruto’s Cabinet taking up their roles will kick off official rolling out of his agenda in various dockets having asked Kenyans to be patient with him until his own ministers assume office.
On Wednesday last week, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua urged Kenyans to be patient with President Ruto's administration over the implementation of their campaign pledges.
“We found empty coffers, therefore, kindly give us time so that we can deliver on what we had promised. After our Cabinets are sworn-in, we will start to work immediately. Several things that we want to do will only happen when we have our own people in office. Currently, it is only the President and Deputy President who are in office and working with outgoing CSs and they do not believe in the bottom-up economic model,” said the DP.
