Ruto announces 10 more Cabinet nominees

NAIROBI, Kenya | Xinhua | Kenyan President William Ruto on Wednesday nominated 10 Cabinet secretaries, including four from the main opposition party, in an effort to form an all-inclusive government.

Ruto nominated the main opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) Chairman John Mbadi to head the National Treasury.

The other three ODM nominees included Salim Mvurya, who was nominated to lead the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho, who was the nominee of the Cabinet secretary of Mining and Blue Economy, and Wycliffe Oparanya, who will take over the Ministry of Cooperatives and MSME Development.

The president nominated Rebecca Miano, who had initially been reappointed as Attorney-General nominee last week before dropping her name, to the Tourism and Wildlife Ministry.

National Assembly Minority Leader Opiyo Wandayi was nominated to the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, Immediate former Attorney-General Justin Muturi was nominated to lead the Public Service Ministry, while Stella Lagat will be in the Ministry of Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage.

Alfred Mutua was nominated to the Labor and Social Protection docket. Kipchumba Murkomen was nominated for the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports.

Ruto who has so far nominated 20 Cabinet Secretaries out of 22, said he was still working on other pending nominees and would announce them soon.

The nominees are subject to consideration and approval by the National Assembly, before their official appointment.

“I will be forwarding additional names to Parliament for vetting prior to appointment based on the understanding of the Cabinet’s essential role in driving the transformational agenda that makes Kenya a better, more just and more prosperous nation for all,” Ruto told journalists in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya.

Once constituted, Ruto said the new Cabinet will steward transformation agenda in providing effective and efficient public services, expanding opportunities for employment and wealth creation, and creating “a tide that lifts every boat.”

“Our collective ambition is to turbocharge the performance of our economy to achieve our universal health coverage, which ensures that no one is left behind or impoverished on account of healthcare costs, offers an equitably funded education system which looks out for learners from vulnerable backgrounds and ensures that Kenyans from all walks of life live in safe and dignified housing, through our affordable housing program,” he added.

The president said his transformation agenda commits his government to provide reliable clean water, last mile electricity connectivity and secure more business opportunities for enterprises and employment opportunities for the youth, both at home and abroad.

“Our explicit aim is to transform Kenya into a middle income society, and it is essential for us to urgently mobilize adequate resources to fund these necessary programs and projects,” Ruto added.

The Kenyan president was forced to dissolve his 22-member Cabinet on July 11 following three weeks of anti-government protests over the Finance Bill 2024 that aimed to raise an additional 346.7 billion shillings (about 2.7 billion U.S. dollars) through new taxes.

On July 19, the president nominated first group of Cabinet secretaries to various ministries.

More than 50 people were killed and more than 400 others injured during the protests against tax hike across Kenya in June and July, according to the State-funded Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. ■