Following protests spearheaded by the youthful Gen Z, the National Assembly Committees held a four-day screening process for the cabinet secretaries nominated by President Ruto, weeks after the previous cabinet was dissolved. The vetting process kicked off last week on Thursday and ended on Sunday.
The National Assembly had on Wednesday held a final verdict sitting to validate those that had successfully sailed through the process. A total of 19 cabinet nominees were approved and are taking the oath of office today at the State House, Nairobi.
Stella Lang’at, the cabinet nominee for Arts, Culture, Gender, and Heritage, was not approved on the grounds of lacking knowledge of the docket she was appointed for. This brings the new list that’s being sworn in today to 19, as the president will have to scour more to get the right candidate for the ministry.
Protesters had demanded a full overhaul of the previous cabinet after weeks of demonstrations, which led to the rejection of the contentious Finance Bill 2024, subsequently followed by the dismissal of the cabinet secretaries, except for the poisons of the Deputy President and the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Foreign Affairs.
The president had vowed to form a broad-based government that represents the face of Kenya. Protesters have maintained that the president did not listen to them after he went head-to-head to bring back 10 nominees from the previously dismissed cabinet. He also nominated at least four from the opposition-led ODM party, which hasn’t gone well with the wishes of protest participants.
The president has, however, maintained that the nominees are the representatives of the “face of Kenya,” amid resentment by discontented Kenyans. In his recent rallies along the coastal and central regions, Ruto urged the youth to give time to deliver on his promises and boycott the planned demonstrations.
Even in the wake of resentment and protests dubbed #NaneNaneMatch that were slated to happen today, the government has gone ahead to swear in the approved cabinet nominees—a perceived disregard and disrespect to the youthful generation Z.
Here is the full list of Ruto’s cabinet secretaries
- Soipan Tuya: Defense
- John Mbadi: National Treasury
- Salim Mvurya: Investment Trade & Industry
- Rebecca Miano: Tourism & Wildlife
- Justin Muturi: Public Service
- Dr. Alfred Mutua: Labour and Social Protection
- Kipchumba Murkomen: Youth Affairs, Creative Economy, and Sports
- Musalia Mudavadi: Foreign Affairs
- Hassan Joho: Mining and Blue Economy
- Kithure Kindiki: Interior and National Administration
- Debra Barasa: Health
- Davis Chirchir: Roads and Transport
- Aden Duale: Environment, Climate Change, and Forestry
- Eric Muga: Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation
- Julius Migosi: Education
- Alice Wahome: Lands, Public Works, Housing, and Urban Development
- Andrew Karanja: Agriculture and Livestock Development
- Margret Ndungu: Information, Communication, and Digital Economy
- Wycliffe Opanya: Cooperatives and MSME Development
- James Opiyo Wandayi: Energy and Petroleum
Kenyans will have to wait longer to know who the Cabinet Secretary for Arts, Culture, Gender, and Heritage will be following the disapproval of Stalla Lang’at.
