Kenya: Ruto Appoints 24 Cabinet Secretaries, to Be Sworn in Thursday

26 October 2022

Nairobi — President William Ruto's government is taking shape, with the appointment of 24 Cabinet Secretaries.

The appointments are contained in a Gazette Notice issued on Wednesday night, following approval by the National Assembly.

He also appointed his Attorney General Justin Muturi and Secretary to the Cabinet Mercy Wanjau who were also vetted and approved by Parliament.

A State House official told Capital FM news that they will all be sworn in on Thursday.

The National Assembly approved all Cabinet Secretary nominees, including Peninah Malonza of the Tourism docket who had been rejected by the vetting committee.

There was a heated debate in the House on Tuesday evening when the report recommending the rejection of Malonza was tabled, with most legislators saying she was incompetent and did not convince them during interviews.

But the mood seems to have changed on Wednesday morning when the debate resumed, with most MPs seen to defend her as well as former Meru Senator Mithika Linturi and former Malindi MP Aisha Jumwa who had been rejected by the minority.

The house negated the disqualification of Malonza, the nominee for Tourism and Wildlife by the committee on appointment, precipitating her approval before the House.

Following the move by the majority in the House, Kitui Woman Representative Irene Kasalu presented a notice of motion amending the report by calling for the approval of the Tourism nominee.

"The upshot of that vote is that you have approved of all the nominees after Mercy Kiiru Njeru you have negative the rejection of Malonza that means Malonza is in purgatory," Speaker Moses Wetang'ula told the MPs.

In the question put by Speaker Wetangula on the motion by Kasalu, the lawmakers voted to support the motion paving way for her approval.

Majority Leader Kimani Ichung'wah had told the House that "The nominee (Malonza) did not demonstrate knowledge on topical, administrative and technical issues touching on the ministry. She lacked the requisite abilities and professional experience to be approved for appointment to the office of Cabinet Secretary."

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