President William Ruto has unveiled a significantly revamped Cabinet, excluding 12 former members as part of a strategic overhaul aimed at addressing youth dissatisfaction and regional imbalances.
The announcement, made on July 24, follows an earlier declaration on July 19, marking a decisive shift in the composition of Kenya’s executive leadership.
The reshuffle sees the departure of prominent figures such as Moses Kuria, who previously headed the Ministry of Public Service; Aisha Jumwa, formerly in charge of Gender; Njuguna Ndungu, the ex-Treasury Chief; Zachary Njeru, who managed Water; Peninah Malonza, previously overseeing Tourism; Mithika Linturi, ex-Agriculture Minister; Susan Nakhumicha, who led Health; Eliud Owalo, the former ICT chief; Ezekiel Machogu, who was in charge of Education; Simon Chelugui, previously responsible for MSMEs; Florence Bore, who managed Labour; and Ababu Namwamba, formerly at the helm of Sports.
The President’s new appointments reflect a commitment to creating a “broad-based government” that better represents Kenya’s diverse population.
Last week’s announcement saw the appointment of 10 new Cabinet Secretaries, leaving room for a total of 15 to 22, as stipulated by the law. Ruto has now finalised the Cabinet by retaining 11 previous members and introducing several new faces.
Among the retained are Aden Duale in Environment Climate Change and Forestry, Prof Kithure Kindiki in Interior, Soipan Tuiya in Defence, and Alice Wahome in Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development. The President’s new appointments include John Mbadi (National Treasury), Salim Mvurya (Investment Trade and Industry), Rebecca Miano (Tourism and Wildlife), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy and Petroleum), Kipchumba Murkomen (Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports).
Others appointed were: Hassan Joho (Mining and Blue Economy), Alfred Mutua ( Labour and Social Protection), Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSMEs Development), Justin Muturi (Public Service), and Stella Lang’at (Gender, Culture, Arts & Heritage).
Davis Chirchir, formerly of the Energy Ministry, is set to take over the Roads and Transport Ministry, succeeding Kipchumba Murkomen. Julius Migosi Ogamba has been nominated for the Education Ministry, taking over from Ezekiel Machogu. Other notable changes include the nomination of Salim Mvurya for Trade and Alfred Mutua for Labour.
The reshuffle comes in response to widespread calls from younger generations and critics who accused the previous Cabinet of being disproportionately composed of individuals from Rift Valley and Mt Kenya regions, areas that were key supporters of Ruto’s 2022 election bid. This new structure is seen as a move to mitigate these criticisms and offer a more balanced representation across Kenya.
Ruto’s efforts to forge a more inclusive Cabinet have been partly driven by ongoing protests and demands from the youth, who have called for a government that reflects their interests and promotes effective governance.
The inclusion of technocrats and a broader representation of Kenya’s regions are intended to placate these concerns and signal a commitment to reform, or at least that’s how Ruto is viewing it.
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