Kenya: President Williams Ruto has presided over the swearing-in of the reconstituted Cabinet with a pledge to enact far-reaching measures to root out corruption and enhance accountability in the public service.
After this, 19 Secretaries were sworn into office at State House, Nairobi on Thursday. President Ruto said that the country is beginning a new chapter of governance and development.
He said that the women and men have been appointed to serve the nation in the reconstituted Cabinet have today embarked on a mission that cannot and must not fail.
The 19 Cabinet Secretaries are Kithure Kindiki for Interior, Soipan Tuya for Defence, John Mbadi for Finance, Adan Duale for Environment, Davis Chirchir for Roads, Kipchumba Murkomen for Sports, Salim Mvurya for Trade, Margaret Nyambura for ICT, Justin Muturi for Public Service and Rebecca Miano for Tourism.
Other in the team of 19 Cabinet secretaries are Alfred Mutua for Labour, Opiyo Wandayi for Energy, Julius Migosi for Education, Eric Muga for Water, Hassan Joho for Mining, Alice Wahome for Lands, Deborah Barasa for Health and Wycliffe Oparanya for Cooperatives.
The Gender and East African Community dockets have not been filled because the National Assembly rejected the nomination of Stella Lang’at to the Gender and Culture Ministry. The nominee for EAC Ministry – Beatrice Askul, has not yet been vetted.
Deputy President – Rigathi Gachagua and the Prime Cabinet Secretary, and CS for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs – Musalia Mudavadi were also present.
The new CSs were accompanied by their families, who witnessed as they took their oath of office. President Ruto noted that the great strides have been made in the implementation of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda over the past two years. It is optimistic that more will be achieved under the new Cabinet.
President told the appointee, “I am confident that each one of you has what it takes to deliver on your mandate and to satisfy the people’s expectations,”
Among the raft of proposals by the President to curb corruption is the introduction of a Unified Personal Identification system that aims at stamping out “ghost workers” across the government, including constitutional commissions.
President said further that the Cabinet will propose to Parliament a legal and institutional framework for mandatory and continuous vetting of all public officers.
Additionally, the President said that the Cabinet will speed up amendments to the Witness Protection Act, Evidence Act and the Criminal Procedure Code to make fighting against corruption effective.
He said that he has engaged the parliamentary leadership to expedite the enactment of the Conflict-of-Interest Bill, that aims to overhaul the country’s approach to conflict-of-interest situations in the public service.
Moreover, he said the government will digitise the procurement process to make it more open and transparent. Beginning the 2025-26 financial year, the President added that the government will adopt a zero-based budgeting system to re-orient the expenditure framework of the government.
The President reiterated the need for the broad-based government in bringing together former political rivals, saying inclusivity will ultimately lead to national stability. “I am persuaded that a moment such as this in the history of our nation calls for patriotic citizens to forge an alliance of rivals to harness our collective political capital, knowledge and expertise to take the strides necessary to make our country great,” said the President.
He recalled critical moments in Kenya’s history when dialogue and consensus pulled the country from the brink of the precipice. “Here we are again being called upon to remember the lessons of history, to live up to the demands of this moment and set aside our partisan interests in order to show up for Kenya.”