President William Ruto has made far-reaching changes in management of state parastatals with board chairmen appointments among them former ministers and former lieutenants his two predecessors, retired president Uhuru Kenyatta and the late former president Mwai Kibaki.
Among those appointed was Engineer Michael Kamau who was hounded from office over a barrage of alleged graft issues involving a road in Kisii by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (Eacc).
Kamau is the new board chairperson of the National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) for a period of three years, with effect from the 23rd December 2022.
In a gazette notice, the Head of State revoked the appointment of Lewis Nguyai to the position.
Kamau is a career public officer who joined the civil service as an entry-level civil servant and rose to Cabinet Secretary.
He joined the public service as an assistant engineer in 1981 and rose through the ranks to Permanent Secretary, before being appointed Transport and Infrastructure Cabinet Secretary by former president Kenyatta in 2013.
Ruto also appointed retired former Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) retired General Julius Waweru Karangi to be the Chairperson of the National Council for Population and Development Board, with effect from the 23rd of December 2022 up to the 20th of July 2024. He revoked the appointment of David Ngugi.
Until his new appointment, Karangi has been serving as the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) board of Trustees chairperson and has been replaced by Anthony Muriuki Munyiri.
The President further appointed Job Chirchir to be the Chairperson of the Kenya Forest Service for a period of three years.
He named Faith Boinett as the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Pipeline Company Limited and revoked the appointment of Rita Achieng Okuthe to that position.
Walter Nyambati was appointed the Chairperson of the Board of Geothermal Development Company. He was the UDA governor hopeful for Nyamira
Walter Raria Koipaton was named the Chairperson of the Kenya Wildlife Service Board.
Meanwhile, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha has appointed Andrew Mugambi and Jason Kap-Kirwok as board members of NHIF and revoked appointment of Duncan Ndegwa and Thuo Kamau respectively.
