The Cabinet, chaired by President William Ruto at the State Lodge in Kakamega on January 21, 2025, in a groundbreaking start to the year, passed a series of transformative resolutions aimed at fostering development, regional integration, and efficiency in governance.
Below are the 10 major highlights of the resolutions:
1. Lifting ETA requirements
Kenya will waive Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) requirements for nearly all African nations, excluding Somalia and Libya due to security concerns.
“As part of efforts to support open skies policies and tourism growth, a key proposal is to grant eTA exemptions to all African countries— except Somalia and Libya—due to security concerns,” Cabinet minutes read in part.
Citizens from the exempted countries will enjoy simplified entry processes, with most allowed a two-month stay and East African Community nationals continuing to benefit from six-month stays under free movement protocols.
An expedited ETA processing system will also be introduced, cutting approval times to 72 hours.
“Additionally, the introduction of an Advanced Passenger Information/Passenger Name Record system will enhance prescreening, strengthen security, and streamline passenger processing at entry points.
“Consequently, the Cabinet Secretaries of National Treasury, Transport, Interior, and Tourism were mandated to review, report, and, within a week, propose guidelines to improve travelers’ experience at all Kenyan airports,” the Cabinet minutes stated.
2. NSSF enhancements
The Cabinet celebrated significant progress in National Social Security Fund (NSSF) contributions, which form a cornerstone of Ruto’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
The move aims to secure retirement benefits for millions of Kenyans while driving investment in infrastructure and social programs.
3. Revamp of State corporations
To address inefficiencies, the Cabinet approved the merger of 42 State Corporations into 20 entities, dissolved nine, and planned restructuring for six.
These changes aim to reduce redundancy, enhance service delivery, and alleviate fiscal pressures caused by mounting public debt and pending bills.
“The reforms will address operational and financial inefficiencies, enhance service delivery, and reduce reliance on the Exchequer. The National Treasury assessed 271 State Corporations, excluding those earmarked for privatization,” Cabinet minutes read.
“The reforms include merging 42 State Corporations with overlapping or related mandates into 20
entities to improve operational efficiency and eliminate redundancy.
“Nine State Corporations will be dissolved, with their functions transferred to relevant ministries or other State entities, while 16 corporations with outdated functions that can be provided by the private sector will be divested or dissolved,” it added.
4. Agriculture sector advancements
President Ruto highlighted record-breaking maize and sugar production in 2024 and significant gains in tea, coffee, and dairy farming. T
he Plant Protection Bill 2023 was also approved, ensuring strengthened agricultural productivity and bolstered food security.
5. Kenya cloud policy
The Cabinet approved the adoption of the Kenya Cloud Policy which signals a new era for digital governance.
The policy prioritizes cloud-based solutions to reduce costs, improve cybersecurity, and enhance data sovereignty.
It also aims to attract global data centers, positioning Kenya as a regional tech hub.
6. Dual training policy for TVET
The Cabinet endorsed the Dual Training Policy to align technical and vocational education with labour market needs.
Under this model, trainees will spend up to 70% of their time in industry, acquiring practical skills to improve their employability.
7. Kenya’s foreign policy 2024
A revised Kenya Foreign Policy was approved to strengthen the nation’s diplomatic and security posture.
The updated policy focuses on regional integration, international collaboration, and positioning Kenya as a leader in global diplomacy.
8. Public Finance Management reforms
The Cabinet approved Public Finance Management (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which seeks to eliminate duplication in conditional allocations to counties, streamlining processes to enhance accountability and efficiency in the management of devolved funds.
9. IGAD protocol on transhumance
The Cabinet also approved the IGAD Protocol on Transhumance, ensuring safe and orderly cross-border movement of livestock and herders.
This move supports pastoral communities while promoting regional cooperation and resource management.
10. Revitalization of Rivatex
The Cabinet gave the green light for restructuring Rift Valley Textiles (Rivatex), including the onboarding of strategic partners to revive the company.
This effort is part of a broader push to boost local manufacturing and create jobs.
Additional approvals included water and sanitation improvement projects in Thika and Githunguri, ratification of the Inter-African Coffee Organisation’s new treaty, and enhanced in-service training programs for public servants.
