Last two secretaries to be unveiled this week

PHOTO | STEPHEN MUDIARI President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre), poses with the 16 new cabinet secretaries after they were sworn in at State House, Nairobi on May 15th, 2013. President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are set to appoint the remaining two Cabinet secretaries this week.

What you need to know:

  • Pressure has been mounting on President Kenyatta and Deputy President Ruto to fill the two remaining cabinet slots, especially due to the wave of insecurity that has gripped parts of the country in recent weeks

President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are set to appoint the remaining two Cabinet secretaries this week.

Presidential Press Service director Isaiya Kabira indicated on Friday that the appointments had not been effected because Mr Ruto had been out of the country last week for the Status Conference on war crimes charges facing him at the International Criminal Court and later to four African countries.

“The deputy president is away, once he returns, they will be able to consult and make the appointments,” he stated.

Mr Ruto was expected back in the country last evening setting the stage for the appointments of the Cabinet Secretaries for Interior and Coordination of National Government and that of Labour.

Pressure has been mounting on the two leaders to fill the two slots, especially due to the wave of insecurity that has gripped parts of the country in recent weeks.

The matter was brought to Mr Kenyatta’s attention by Inspector-General of Police David Kimaiyo during Thursday’s high level security meeting at State House Nairobi.

Reading a memorandum from police chiefs, Mr Kimaiyo told Mr Kenyatta that the absence of a cabinet secretary was hindering their efforts to combat insecurity which has rocked Busia, Bungoma, Kakamega, Mandera, Garissa and Mombasa counties.

The Inspector-General told the president he was forced to frequently bring to his attention matters that required urgent policy direction.

The other Cabinet Secretaries were sworn in last Wednesday and started receiving briefings from their Permanent Secretaries.

The government has started fine-tuning the new structure to ensure the smooth running of ministries and departments falling under each of the 18 new dockets.