President Kenyatta nominates Lenku, Kambi to Cabinet

Former Medical Services assistant minister Kazungu Kambi has been nominated as Cabinet Secretary, Labour, Social Security and Services May 23, 2013. FILE

What you need to know:

  • The nomination of Mr Ole Lenku and Mr Kambi sees President Kenyatta complete his Cabinet line-up of 18 ministries.

  • President sends names to Parliament for vetting and approval.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has nominated two Kenyans to fill the vacant Cabinet slots Thursday.

The President nominated Utalii Hotel General Manager Joseph Ole Lenku as Cabinet Secretary, Interior and Coordination of National Government.

Former Medical Services assistant minister Kazungu Kambi is the Cabinet Secretary nominee, Labour, Social Security and Services.

"I have subsequently forwarded the names to Parliament for approval," said President Kenyatta.

The nomination of Mr Ole Lenku and Mr Kambi, a former Kaloleni MP, sees President Kenyatta complete his Cabinet line-up of 18 ministries.

The two will be vetted by the Committee on Appointments, which will then table its report before the National Assembly.

The Plenary will deliberate on the report and vote to approve or reject the nominees.

If approved, the names will be sent to President Kenyatta for formal appointment.

However, if MPs reject the nomination of Mr Ole Lenku and Mr Kambi, the Head of State will nominate two candidates for the positions afresh.

Mr Ole Lenku is a career hotelier, having served the industry since 1996.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in marketing from the University of Nairobi and a Diploma in Hotel Management from the Kenya Utalii College.

During the occasion, the President asked Cabinet to drive the realisation of Vision 2030 and make Kenya competitive globally.

President Kenyatta said the newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries should get down to work and serve Kenyans diligently.

"Kenyans are no longer willing to wait and listen to excuses. We must perform. Kenyans want a positive transformation," he said moments after witnessing the swearing in of the secretaries at State House, Nairobi.

"You should be transparent and impartial in dispensing your duties and management of the national resources," he told the secretaries.

The swearing in of the secretaries came just a day after Parliament approved their nomination.

The 16 Cabinet Secretaries are: Anne Waiguru (Devolution and Planning), Raychelle Omamo (Defence), Amina Mohammed (Foreign Affairs), Prof Jacob Kaimenyi (Education, Science and Technology), Henry Rotich (The National Treasury), Phyllis Kandie (East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism) and James Wainaina (Health).

Others are: Michael Kamau (Transport and Infrastructure), Prof Judy Wakhungu (Environment, Water and Mineral Resources), Charity Ngilu (Land, Housing and Urban Development), Fred Matiangi’ (Information, Communication and Technology), Hassan Wario (Sports, Culture and Arts), Davis Chirchir (Energy and Petroleum), Felix Koskei (Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries), Adan Mohammed (Industrialisation and Enterprise Development) and Najib Balala (Mining).