Murkomen elevated to be Interior CS as Uhuru men; Kagwe, Kinyanjui and Kabogo land cabinet slots
The recent meet-up between retired president Uhuru Kenyatta and and president William Ruto and the former’s rural home in Ichaweri, Gatundu county has solidified the broad-based-government arrangement after Uhuru’s men landed cabinet slots months after ODM party boss Raila Odinga’s party was co-opted in government exactly six months following the June 2024 Generation Z (Gen Zs) anti-government protests opposing poor governance, corruption and high taxes.
In a mini-reshuffle announced this evening, president Ruto has elevated Sports Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen to serve as the substantive Interior and National Administration CS.
Ruto also nominated close Uhuru allies Mutahi Kagwe, Lee Kinyanjui (former nakuru governor) and William Kabogo (former Kiambu governor) to the Agriculture and Livestock Development, Investments Trade and Industry, and the Information, Communications and the Digital Economy dockets respectively.
“His Excellency the President has today made nominations, re- assignments and appointments to the senior ranks of the Executive. The nominations effected are in regard to individuals to serve the Nation in its foremost policy organ — Cabinet — as well as in the Foreign Service.” Head of Public Service and Chief of Staff Felix Koskei said.
Former Agriculture CS Dr Andrew Karanja and his ICT counterpart Dr Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u have been dropped from Cabinet, but given a soft landing, with nominations to the role of ambassadors.
Mr Kagwe, Mr Kinyanjui and Mr Kabogo will now have to face Parliament before their formal appointments.
Former Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has been nominated to the role of Permanent Representative of Kenya to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)/United Nations Office at Nairobi (UNON).
At the same time, Amb Dorothy Angote has been nominated as Kenyan High Commissioner, Zimbabwe.
In the changes following a meeting between Ruto and Uhuru, other allies of the retired president who made it to government are former Laikipia governor Ndiritu Muriithi and former Senate Deputy Speaker Kembi Gitura.
Muriithi has been appointed as the Kenya Revenue Authority board chairperson while Gitura will chair that of Kenyatta University Teaching, Referral and Research Hospital.
Anthony Mwaura, who currently chairs the KRA board, has been moved to that of the Kenya Rural Roads Authority (KERRA).
The changes come weeks after the recent meet-up between retired president Uhuru and president Ruto and the former’s rural home in Ichaweri, Gatundu county which appears to have solidified the broad-based-government arrangement after Uhuru’s men landed cabinet slots months after ODM party boss Raila Odinga’s party was co-opted in government exactly six months following the June 2024 Generation Z (Gen Zs) anti-government protests opposing poor governance, corruption and high taxes.
