Ruto Appoints Soipan Tuya as Defence CS as Duale Moves to Environment Ministry

President William Ruto has initiated a Cabinet reshuffle as announced in a memorandum to the National Assembly on Tuesday, July 23.

The changes, communicated by Speaker Moses Wetang'ula, involve both reassignments of existing Cabinet members and the nomination of new appointees. In a notable shift, Soipan Tuya, previously slated for the Environment portfolio, has been reassigned to the Ministry of Defence while Aden Duale moves to take charge of the Environment Ministry. The Speaker emphasizes that all nominees, including those reappointed, would undergo a thorough vetting process by the Appointments Committee before assuming their roles. Among the returning Cabinet Secretaries, Kithure Kindiki retains his position at the Interior Ministry, and Alice Wahome continues her tenure at the Ministry of Lands and Public Works.

Davis Chirchir has been moved to oversee the Roads and Transport docket. Former Trade and Industry Secretary Rebecca Miano has been nominated as the new Attorney General, replacing Justin Muturi. Debra Mulongo Barasa has been nominated for the Health portfolio, Julius Ogamba for Education, Andrew Karanja for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Eric Muriithi for Water, and Margaret Ndungu for Information and Communications Technology. This Cabinet reorganization comes as the nation grapples with economic instability, high unemployment, and ongoing public demonstrations. In his statement, the President reiterates the importance of a diverse Cabinet in implementing his government's Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.

He emphasizes the need for a broader range of ideas and interventions to tackle key challenges, including job creation, debt management, enhancing transparency in public resource utilization, increasing domestic resource mobilization, and optimizing public expenditure. Ruto also acknowledges the recent public discourse on governance, development, and economic management. He stresses his administration's commitment to meeting the aspirations of the Kenyan people and ensuring that the state serves its citizens effectively. The vetting process for the new Cabinet nominees is set to begin promptly. The Committee on Appointments will notify the nominees and the public, conduct approval hearings, and present its report to the House within 28 days.

This rigorous process aims to ensure that the nominees meet the required standards and possess the necessary capabilities to manage their respective portfolios effectively. Suna East MP Junet Mohamed has stated that the vetting committee will thoroughly interrogate the CS nominees. Junet emphasizes that Parliament is accountable for ensuring that the CS nominees meet the necessary requirements. The Legislator further notes that Parliament is the sole entity that will guarantee Kenyans receive value for their money.

"This time and this period in Parliament, I want to tell members who are my colleagues that vetting is not going to be business as usual. This time, if somebody is not suitable, capable and doesn't have the capacity, we are going to throw them out. We must do justice to Kenyans. We must do our work properly this time," says Junet.