Kenya President Appoints Cabinet

Kenyan President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta won the elections with just over 50 percent of the national vote. With over 50 percent there will not be a run-off., a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Kenyatta unveils new cabinet

Friday, 26 April 2013 00:00

NAIROBI. — Kenya’s new president Uhuru Kenyatta yesterday named defence, tourism and other key ministers to a slimmed down cabinet that included the surprise return of politicians defeated in the just ended general election.

Former Minister Charity Ngilu and Najib Balala were named as Cabinet Secretary nominees for Lands and Mining, respectively.

The list also had the surprise inclusion of Raychelle Awuor Omamo as the nominee for Defence. Others are Adan Mohammed (Industrialisation), Ann Waiguru (Devolution and Planning), Davis Chirchir (Energy and Petroleum), Eng Michael Kamau (Transport and Infrastructure) and Phyllis Chepkosgey (East African affairs, Commerce and Tourism).

Professor Jacob Kaimenyi has also been nominated as Cabinet Secretary for Education, Felix Kosgey (Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries), Professor Judy Wakhungu (Environment Water and Natural Resources) and Dr Hassan Wario (Sports, Culture and Arts).

There are now two ministries left vacant — that of Labour, Social Security and Services and the Interior and Coordination of National Government. To ensure a smooth transition, President Kenyatta also named current Head of Public Service Mr Francis Kimemia as Secretary to Cabinet and former Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands Permanent Secretary Lawrence Lenayapa as State House Comptroller.

Fielding questions from journalists on the nominations, President Kenyatta said the remaining two Cabinet Secretary nominees will be known in due course.

On the nomination of former legislators Ngilu and Balala, the President said the two will have to relinquish all political positions and team up with other Cabinet Secretaries to deliver on the Jubilee government development agenda for the country.

Answering questions of regional balance in government since a majority of those appointed come from Kenyatta’s Kikuyu and Ruto’s Kalenjin ethnic groups, Kenyatta said: “We have taken great care of reaching all corners of the country but we do not have the luxury of a cabinet as large as the previous one.”

— Daily Nation-AFP.