Uhuru transfers Health PS Nicholas Muraguri

President Uhuru Kenyatta has transferred 12 principal secretaries in what he said was part of continuing efforts to improve the efficiency of services.

“The President has purposed the changes to enhance teamwork and to improve the accountability for results in the execution of the government’s responsibilities,” said the State House spokesman in a statement. 

ROW

Among them are Patrick Nduati Mwangi and Nicholas Muraguri, who have been involved in controversy in the recent past.

Mr Mwangi was caught up in a row with Water and Irrigation Cabinet Secretary Eugene Wamalwa over the award of a contract for the first phase of the proposed Thwake Dam in Makueni County.

He has been transferred to the Department of Industry and Enterprise Development.

Dr Muraguri was at the centre of allegations that the Health ministry could not account for Sh5 billion after scrutiny by the ministry’s internal auditor.

SHADOW

The principal secretary is now heading to the busy Lands Department.

Also transferred in the reshuffle just 130 days to the General Election is Richard Ekai, who was principal secretary in the Department of Sports Development.

Mr Ekai still has a shadow over him in the form of a recommendation that he should be prosecuted for his role in the mess in the management of Kenya’s team to the last Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

In February, it was reported that Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko had not made up his mind whether to file charges against Mr Ekai and Sports Cabinet Secretary Hassan Wario or call them as State witnesses in the fraud case filed against four top Kenyan Olympics officials.

OTHERS

Mr Ekai will now be in charge of the Department of Correctional Services, otherwise known as the Prisons Department.

Other principal secretaries transferred are: Micah Powon, from the Correctional Services to Devolution; Peter Kaberia, from Defence to Sports Development; Mwanamaka Mabruki, from Devolution to Gender Affairs; and Zeinab Hussein, from Gender Affairs to Irrigation.

Others are: Julius Korir, from Industry and Enterprise Development to Health; Mariam el Maawy, from Lands to Public Works; Saitoti Torome, from Planning and Statistics to Defence; Irungu Nyakera, from Transport to Planning and Statistics; and Paul Mwangi, from Public Works to Transport.