President Ruto Reassigns Cabinet Roles Ahead of Vetting.
President William Ruto has temporarily redistributed key ministerial roles among top officials, including Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Environment CS Aden Duale, and Sports CS Salim Mvurya, as the parliamentary vetting of three newly appointed ministers approaches.
Mudavadi Takes Charge of ICT Ministry
Musalia Mudavadi, who recently handed over his acting role as Interior Cabinet Secretary to Kipchumba Murkomen, has been assigned the Ministry of Information, Communications, and the Digital Economy in an acting capacity. Mudavadi, who also serves as the Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, will hold this additional portfolio until Parliament vets and approves former Kiambu Governor William Kabogo, the President’s nominee for the position.
Duale and Mvurya Assume Interim Roles
Environment CS Aden Duale has been temporarily tasked with overseeing the Ministry of Agriculture. This arrangement will remain until former Health CS Mutahi Kagwe, the nominee for the Agriculture docket, undergoes parliamentary vetting.
Similarly, Sports CS Salim Mvurya will continue managing his current docket and oversee the Trade Ministry on an interim basis. This will persist until former Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, nominated to the Trade docket, receives parliamentary approval.
Parliamentary Vetting Schedule
The National Assembly has issued a notice detailing the vetting schedule for the newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, and members of the Public Service Commission. The process will commence on January 9, with members nominated to the Public Service Commission appearing before the Labour Committee.
On January 10, nominees for diplomatic posts, including former Sports CS Ababu Namwamba, who has been proposed as UNEP’s representative in Nairobi, will appear before the Defence, Intelligence, and Foreign Relations Committee.
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The Appointments Committee will begin vetting Cabinet nominees on January 14. Former Health CS Mutahi Kagwe is scheduled to appear at 12 p.m., followed by William Kabogo at 3 p.m., and Lee Kinyanjui at 5 p.m.
Clearance Requirements for Nominees
The Clerk of the National Assembly, Samuel Njoroge, emphasized in a notice that all nominees must present clearance documents from various agencies.
These include the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Higher Education Loans Board (HELB), Directorate of Criminal Investigations, Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, and a Credit Reference Bureau (CRB). This requirement aims to ensure compliance and transparency during the vetting process.
