President William Ruto on Tuesday, July 30, 2024, completed his list of cabinet nominees with the nomination of Beatrice Askul Moe and Dorcas Oduor.
Ruto nominated Moe as the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for East African Community Affairs (EAC) & Regional Development while Oduor is the Attorney General nominee.
After the nomination of the two, it became apparent that some former Cabinet Secretaries would not make a comeback.
Njuguna Ndung’u, Aisha Jumwa, Moses Kuria, Zachariah Njeru, Peninah Malonza, Mithika Linturi, Ezekiel Machogu, Ababu Namwamba, Simon Chelugui, Florence Bore, Eliud Owalo and Susan Nakumicha, who made up Ruto’s first-ever cabinet post the 2022 general elections, have all been left out.
Before their dismissal from cabinet, the 12 former CSs served in the following dockets:
1. Njuguna Ndung’u – National Treasury and Planning
2. Aisha Jumwa – Gender, Culture, the Arts
3. Moses Kuria – Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management
4. Zachariah Njeru – Water, Sanitation and Irrigation
5. Peninah Malonza – East African Community, the ASALs and Regional Development
6. Mithika Linturi – Agriculture and Livestock Development
7. Ezekiel Machogu – Education
8. Ababu Namwamba – Youth Affairs and Sports
9. Simon Chelugui – Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development
10. Florence Bore – Labour and Social Protection
11. Eliud Owalo – Information, Communications and the Digital Economy
12. Susan Nakhumicha – Health
9 CSs retained
Ruto, under pressure from the unrelenting Gen Z, first withdrew the Finance Bill 2024, which triggered popular unrest across the country before he took the bigger and, of course, tougher decision of dissolving his cabinet.
The Head of State, in a bid to form a cabinet that represented the face of the nation, introduced the first batch of nominees that famously featured his former CSs, Kithure Kindiki (Interior), Soipan Tuya, first nominated back to the Environment docket before she was moved to defence to replace Aden Duale at Ulinzi House, as the former Garissa Town MP took the Mazingira docket.
Rebecca Miano was first nominated as tentative Attorney General before being moved again to Tourism and Wildlife, replacing Alfred Mutua, who was shuttled to Labour.
Kipchumba Murkomen (Sports), Davis Chirchir (Transport), and Salim Mvurya (Trade) returned but for different positions. Alice Wahome (Lands), just like Kindiki, maintained her previous ministries.
New faces
Ruto nominated new faces; Debra Mulongo Barasa for Health, Eric Muga for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Margaret Ndung’u for Information, Communication and the Digital Economy, Andrew Karanja for Agriculture and Livestock Development and Julius Migosi for Education.
Also, ODM’s entry into government with the nomination of Wycliffe Oparanya (Co-operatives), Hassan Joho (Mining), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), and John Mbadi (Treasury) made it certainly clear that some faces had to be sacrificed to create space in the constitutionally limited cabinet.
After the entry of Moe as EAC Affairs CS nominee and Dorcas Oduor as presumptive AG, it means those who did not make a comeback are fired.
Moses Kuria
A former Member of Parliament who is known for controversial statements sometimes, he survived the purge after he was moved from the Trade to Labour docket in 2023.
Given the stature he has created within the political arena, his next moves will be closely monitored, with his supporters, and equally, his opponents, keen to see his next move.
At times, he has been at loggerheads with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, sometimes expressing a love-hate relationship for Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leader Raila Odinga and at times defending Ruto. He is a politician who does not fear courting criticism, and this puts him under immense spotlight from this point.
Ezekiel Machogu
His season as Education CS was not as smooth either. He faced criticism majorly on how the government implemented the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), at times at loggerheads with teacher union bodies and at times dealing with cheating claims of national exams.
However, just like before, Machogu could decide to keep his low-profile stature now that he is out of the cabinet.
Susan Nakhumicha
One of the most criticised CS in Ruto’s cabinet. She found herself in hot battles, especially the striking medics who downed tools for over 50 days.
The healthcare providers struck and demanded better working conditions, improved pay structures, and permanent employment of those serving as interns.
After dealing with the medics, the nurses were on her throat, and her time at Afya House was a case of fighting several battles with relentless demands every time.
Her removal from the post, some would argue, is a sigh of relief for the first-term CS.
Mithika Linturi
The former legislator from Meru County became an unpopular figure as the boss of Kilimo House because of the fake fertiliser saga.
After public pressure, Linturi faced parliament, which formed a mini-committee to investigate his culpability. He was, in the end, set free when the MPs did not find evidence linking him with the saga.
However, in the public eye, he was not absolved, and his exit is welcome by those who believe he underperformed while in charge of Kenya’s biggest ministry.
Ababu Namwamba
At Talanta Plaza, the former Budalangi MP rolled out the Talanta Hela programme which was his key project since he took over.
His reign sometimes divides opinions, with some believing he delivered, especially after taking over with so many troubles facing sports federations.
His supporters are amazingly quick to point out the success of Talanta Hela, FIFA’s decision to lift the suspension on Kenya, and the fairly smooth running of federations as some achievements by Namwamba.
In his last days in office, he was under pressure as the public demanded the release of delegates to the 2024 Olympic Games. He took time before he eventually asked the National Olympics Committee-Kenya (NOCK-Kenya) to release the list.
Njuguna Ndung’u
Although he was one of the CSs that maintained low profiles, his position at Treasury tossed him into the public limelight.
Tax proposals and financial bills that were drafted by his office were at times unpopular, and that put the Kazi ni Kazi government under immense criticism.
The former Central Bank of Kenya Governor was appointed to steer UDA’s economic agenda, popularly known as the Bottom-Up Economic Agenda, but the unpopularity of the same meant that he became the target of criticism.
Aisha Jumwa
She first served as Public Service CS before last year’s reshuffle saw her move to Gender, Culture, and Arts.
Although she has not made her way back, Ruto, during a recent development tour in Kilifi County, promised that she will not dump Jumwa altogether.
Ruto, while addressing Watamu residents, said Jumwa is his friend whom he will walk along with, despite the recent Cabinet changes.
“Huyu Aisha Jumwa ni mama wa Nguvu. Aisha ni rafiki wangu sana. Huyu mama simuachi. Nawahakikishia nyinyi watu wa hapa Kilifi kuwa nitatembea na huyu mama,” the president said on Friday, July 26, 2024.
Simon Chelugui
He was one of the longest-serving CSs, having also served under former President Uhuru Kenyatta. However, his tenure has come to an end after he was not nominated for any post.
Eliud Owalo
He served as Information, Communication, and Digital Economy CS, but the former Kibra parliamentary aspirant has been dropped.
Florence Bore
She served as Labour CS, but with the formation of the broad-based cabinet, she will not be part of it after missing a slot.
Zachary Njeru
One of the low-key CSs under Ruto and his last docket was the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation.
Peninah Malonza
She served as the CS for the Ministry of EAC, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development, a docket that was the latest to get a nominee, Moe.
