Laboso moves chief officers in second Cabinet reshuffle

Bomet Governor Joyce Laboso has reshuffled her chief officers in a second change to her cabinet since taking office a year ago.

In changes announced on Tuesday, the chief officer in charge of Land, Housing and Urban Planning Richard Sigei has swapped positions with his Environment counterpart Joseph Kebenei.

"The changes takes effect immediately," states a brief statement issued by the Director of Communication Ezra Kirui.

In August 2018, Dr Laboso appointed her deputy, Dr Hillary Barchok, as the County Executive Member for Trade, Energy, Tourism and Industry.

He took over from Mr Benard Ngeno who moved to the Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture docket.

He had been acting in the position for one year, besides having been the substantive CEC for Trade.

FRUSTRATION

The changes followed Dr Laboso’s frustration as she sought to fill the Youth docket with the county assembly rejecting her nominees to the position three times.

Mrs Patricia Lasoi, a former Land CEC in former governor Isaac Ruto's administration, Mrs Caroline Chebet Kirui a former director of the Social Services department and Ms Jackline Chemutai Kirui, an accountant from the Roads Department, were all rejected at different times by MCAs when their names were forwarded to the assembly for vetting.

The three, all from Kipreres Ward in Bomet East Sub-County, which was set to get a woman CEC nominee in the spirit of regional balancing.

The other four sub counties - Bomet Central, Sotik, Konoin and Chepalungu are each represented in the cabinet by two members.

“The changes are intended to ensure the county government is better equipped to implement the mandate of her (Dr Laboso’s) administration, improve service delivery and specifically the seven agenda plan identified in the governor’s manifesto” said Dr Laboso at the time.