President Ruto reshuffles Cabinet, fires Muturi as he makes new changes
Health CS Deborah Mulongo has been moved to the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry, while his counterpart, Aden Duale, who was there, has been moved to Health.
President William Ruto has reshuffled his Cabinet for the third time in two years since his election in 2022.
In the latest mini-reshuffle, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Mulongo has been moved to the ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry swapping dockets with Aden Duale, who now takes charge at Afya House.
Further, the president nominated the widow of the late Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, Hannah Wendot Cheptumo, as the CS for the Ministry of Gender, culture and Heritage, which has been vacant since the firing of former Malindi Member of Parliament Aisha Jumwa.
After the firing of Jumwa as part of changes Ruto made when he formed the broad-based government in response to the Gen Z uprising last year, the president nominated Stella Langat, who was, however, rejected by MP, who determined she had no knowledge about gender issues.
Duale will serve as the third Cabinet Secretary for Health under President Ruto.
In July last year, he fired his then-Health CS, Susan Nakhumicha, whom he recently nominated as the Kenya representative to UN-Habitat in Nairobi.
In the first appointment, Duale served as the Cabinet Secretary for the Defence before he was later moved to the Environment, Climate Change and Forestry ministry before today’s reshuffle.
Before his nomination to the Cabinet, Duale was the elected Member of Parliament for Garissa Township.
In today’s mini-reshuffle, the president also fired Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes CS Justin Muturi.
Muturi has been replaced by Mbeere North Member of Parliament Geoffrey Kiringa Ruku.
The sacking of Muturi comes hours after the president accused him of being an incompetent Attorney General.
Speaking during an Iftar dinner at State House yesterday, Ruto expressed confidence in the current Attorney General, Dorcas Oduor, assuring Kenyans that key legal matters would be addressed promptly.
“I had a problem with the AG who was there, he was fairly incompetent. But I now have a very competent lady in that position, and I can assure you that the issues of Waqf will be sorted out in a matter of months,” he said.
In his response to the president’s remarks, Muturi said there is no provision for a Muslim Endowment Fund under the Waqf Act No. 8 of 2022.
He also pointed out that the waqf is managed by the Waqf Commission.
“Under the Waqf Act no.8 of 2022, there’s no provision for a “Muslim Endowment Fund “. It must be understood that a waqf is a religious, charitable, or benevolent endowment by a person who professes Muslim faith and is managed by the Waqf Commission,” Muturi stated.
Muturi has in recent weeks slammed the Ruto government over the rise in abductions and extra-judicial killings of youths opposed to his regime, which started during the Gen Z protests.
In an interview mid this month, Muturi said he would not resign from government, noting that resigning would go against his principles and the promises made by the Kenya Kwanza administration, adding he was ready to be sacked.
