President Kenyatta reshuffles cabinet, expands state departments
What you need to know:
- He expanded the number of Cabinet Secretaries from 19 to 20. The new cabinet only has five women, falling short of the constitutional requirement that states that women must make up 33 per cent of all elective and nominative positions.
- He modelled the changes to fulfill four key objectives: Enhance efficiency of public officers through fast-tracking adoption of technology; Ensure accountability of public officials in discharge of duties, giving more power to accounting officers to have oversight of public expenditure; guarantee accessibility of public officers by reducing size of dockets and review effectiveness of government projects, such that only those projects with direct social economic impacts to the citizens make it through.
President Uhuru Kenyatta on Tuesday reshuffled his cabinet announcing that the changes were necessary for effective service delivery.
He expanded the number of Cabinet Secretaries from 19 to 20. The new cabinet only has five women, falling short of the constitutional requirement that states that women must make up 33 per cent of all elective and nominative positions.
He modelled the changes to fulfill four key objectives: Enhance efficiency of public officers through fast-tracking adoption of technology; Ensure accountability of public officials in discharge of duties, giving more power to accounting officers to have oversight of public expenditure; guarantee accessibility of public officers by reducing size of dockets and review effectiveness of government projects, such that only those projects with direct social economic impacts to the citizens make it through.
In the same vein, the president announced the expansion of state departments from 26 to 41.
“Anti-corruption measures will be implemented through state departments which are headed by Principal Secretaries. A key initiative will be the complete overhaul of procurement departments,” said President Kenyatta.
He also announced that the office of the President will be re-organised and the changes announced in the next two weeks.
The president asked the National Assembly to fast-track the vetting of CSs and PSs to ensure that those nominated to the positions are able to take up the positions as soon as possible.
A good number of the new names in the Principal Secretary dockets are former bosses in the private sector, signaling a major shift from hiring politicians to having corporate bosses on board.
Some of the former CEOs that have been awarded state department dockets include Zeinab Hussein who was the former head of Human Resources at McKinsey, and Chris Kiptoo, former CEO at Trade Mark East Africa.
Other notable figures include Sammy Itemere, former Kenya Commercial Bank Sudan CEO and Paul Maringa Mwangi, who was Rwandan President Paul Kagame’s advisor on large Infrastructure.
CABINET SECRETARIES
- Mining - Dan Kazungu
- Environment - Prof Judy W Wakhungu
- Devolution & Planning - Mwangi Kiunjuri
- Water & Irrigation - Eugene Wamalwa
- Finance – National Treasury - Henry K Rotich
- Sports Arts & Culture - Dr Hassan Wario Arero
- Education - Dr Fred Okengo Matiangi
- Transport & Infrastructure - James Macharia
- Agriculture - Willy Bett
- Interior - Gen (Rtd) Joseph K Nkaissery
- Foreign Affairs - Amb Amina Mohamed
- Public Service Youth & Gender Affairs - Sicily Kanini Kariuki
- Tourism - Najib Balala
- Energy & Petroleum - Charles Keter
- Health - Dr Cleopa Kilonzo Mailu
- Labour & EAC Affairs - Phylis J K Kandie
- Defence - Amb Dr Raychelle Awuor Omamo
- Lands - Prof Jacob T Kaimenyi
- Industrialization - Adan Mohamed
- ICT - Joe Mucheru
- Attorney General - Prof Dr Githu Muigai
PRINCIPAL SECRETARIES
- Agriculture- Richard Lesiyampe
- Arts, Culture - Joe Okudo
- Basic Education - Dr Belio Kipsang
- Broadcasting & Telecommunications - Sammy Itemere
- Cooperatives - Ali Noor Ismail
- Correctional Services - Micah Powon
- Defence - Amb Peter K Kaberia
- Devolution - Mwanamaka Mabruki
- EAC Integration - Betty Chemutai Maina
- Energy - Eng Joseph Njoroge
- Environment - Charles Sunkuli
- Fisheries - Prof Ntiba Micheni
- Interior - Eng Karanja Kibicho
- Youth and Public Service - Lilian Omollo
- Health - Nicholas Muraguri
- Housing & Urban Development - Aidah Munano
- ICT & Innovation - Victor Kyalo
- Industry & Enterprise Development - Julius Korir
- Infrastructure - John Musonik
- Foreign - Dr Amb Monica Juma
- International Trade - Dr Chris Kiptoo
- Irrigation - Patrick Nduati Mwangi
- Labour - Khadija Kassachoom
- Lands - Mariam El Maawy
- Livestock - Dr Andrew K Tuimur
- Maritime Commerce - Nancy Karigithu
- Mining - Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Mahmud
- National Treasury - Kamau Thugge
- National Water Services - Fred Sigor
- Natural Resources - Dr Margaret Mwakima
- Petroleum - Andrew Kamau Nganga
- Planning & Statistics - Saitoti Torome
- Public Works - Dr Paul Maringa Mwangi
- Social Security & Services - Susan Mochache
- Special Programmes - Josepheta Mukobe
- Sports Development - Richard Ekai
- Tourism - Fatuma Hersi
- Transport - Wilson Nyakera Irungu
- University (Higher) Education - Prof Colleta Suda
- Vocational & Technical Training - Dr Dinah Jerotich Mwinzi
- Gender Affairs - Zeinab W Hussein
