Ruto names Mudavadi Prime Cabinet Secretary
Musalia Mudavadi has been appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary by President William Ruto.
The announcement was made at State House by the Head of State, who has made good on his campaign promise to Western region that the ANC leader will be given the job. Dr Ruto had also promised that Bungoma Senator Moses Wetang’ula would clinch the National Assembly Speaker seat.
“I also want to thank Luhya leaders, led by Wetang’ula and Musalia, for joining my team to bring home victory and I want to assure all that every promise we made we shall fulfil. As we move forward, Mr Musalia shall be our Chief Minister, who will mobilise all the resources that will take Kenya ahead,” Dr Ruto said last month after he was declared President-elect.
‘Gentleman of Kenyan politics’
Described as a laid back man who carefully thinks over what he says and does not rush into making decisions and public pronouncements, Mr Mudavadi has earned the tag of “a safe pair of hands” from his supporters. Some have also described him as a non-polarising character and “the gentleman of Kenyan politics”.
Mr Mudavadi, who served as Kenya’s seventh Vice President (VP), was first elected MP in 1989 after the death of his father, Mr Moses Mudavadi. He was elected unopposed in Sabatia constituency and went on to be re-elected in 1992, 1997, and 2007.
Soon after, former President Daniel Moi appointed him Minister of Supplies and Marketing until 1992 when he was elevated to Ministry of Finance between 1993 and 1997. He has also served as Minister for Agriculture, and Transport and Communication between 2001 and 2002 when he was appointed to the office of VP.
He served three months in the office of the Vice President, the shortest sting in Kenyan history.
He was appointed VP in October 2002 to replace the late George Saitoti, who Moi had sacked in a succession war after he chose Mr Uhuru Kenyatta as his successor. Mr Mudavadi was Mr Kenyatta’s running mate in the 2002 general election. He ended up losing that bid as well as his Sabatia Parliamentary seat.
Mr Mudavadi made a come back in 2005 during the campaigns for the new Constitution. He joined the NO camp that was opposed to the draft that the Kibaki government had proposed. The camp emerged winners of the referendum. In the 2007 presidential election, Mr Mudavadi was Mr Odinga’s running mate, but again they lost to late former President Mwai Kibaki.
He was a member of the national reconciliation team that negotiated for peace after the bloody events of the 2007/08 post-election violence and was appointed Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local government in the Grand coalition government of 2008/13.
He defected from ODM to his United Democratic Forum (UDF) through which he contested the 2013 presidential race, coming third.
He severed ties with UDF to form Amani National Congress (ANC) in 2015. ANC was part of the five political parties that merged in 2017 to form the National Super Alliance (Nasa) which fronted Mr Raila Odinga as its presidential candidate. Nasa lost to Jubilee in the election held on August 8, 2017 but the Supreme Court nullified the outcome due to irregularities.
In January 2022, he joined hands with Dr Ruto to form the Kenya Kwanza Alliance ahead of the 2022 general elections, which the latter won and became the fifth President of Kenya.
Duale, Ababu, Murkomen, Wahome,Jumwa join cabinet
President William Ruto has named his cabinet, with ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi being appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary. Mr Mudavadi will be the most senior officer after the President and his DP Rigathi Gachagua.
Prof Kithure Kindiki has been appointed Interior Cabinet Secretary while Treasury will be headed by former CBK governor Prof Njuguna Ndung’u.
The Head of State also picked Aden Duale as Defence CS, Aisha Jumwa to Public Service and Dr Alfred Mutua to head Foreign and Diaspora Affairs ministry.
Dr Ruto named Alice Wahome as Water and Sanitation CS, Moses Kuria as Trade CS while the East African Community Ministry will be headed by Rebecca Miano.
The Roads, Transport and Public Works ministry will be headed by Kipchumba Murkomen while Soipan Tuya has been appointed CS of the Environment and Forestry ministry.
The Lands docket will be headed by Zachariah Mwangi Njeru, Agriculture and Livestock Development by Mithika Linturi and Health by Susan Nakhumicha Wafula.
Ms Peninah Malonza will replace Najib Balala as Tourism CS, while Eliud Owalo has been appointed to the Communications docket.
The President also appointed former National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi as the Attorney General and Mercy Wanjau as Secretary to the Cabinet.
Here is the full list of the new cabinet secretaries and the President’s advisor on National Security and Women Rights Agency:
- Interior Ministry — Prof Abraham Kindiki
- National Treasury – Prof. Njuguna Ndung’u
- Public Service Gender and Affirmative Action – Aisha Jumwa
- Defence – Aden Duale
- Water Sanitation – Alice Wahome
- Foreign and Diaspora Affairs – Alfred Mutua
- Trade, Investment and Industry – Moses Kuria
- East Africa Community, Arid and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development – Rebecca Miano
- Roads, Transport and Public Works – Kipchumba Murkomen
- Environment and Forestry – Roselinda Soipan Tuya
- Lands, Housing and Urban Development – Zachariah Mwangi Njeru
- Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage – Peninah Malonza
- Agriculture and Livestock Development – Mithika Linturi
- Health – Susan Nakumicha Wafula
- Information, Communication and Digital Economy – Eliud Owalo
- Education – Ezekiel Machogu
- Energy and Petroleum – Davis Chirchir
- Youth Affairs Sports and Arts – Ababu Namwamba
- Cooperatives and MSME development – Simon Chelugui
- Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs – Salim Mvurya
- Labour and Social protection – Florence Bore
Other Appointments:
- Advisor on Women Rights Agency – Hariet Chigai
- Advisor National Security – Monica Juma
President Outlines DP Gachagua’s Roles In Gov’t
Speaking on Tuesday as he unveiled his Cabinet, Ruto said his deputy will be “a busy man”.
Here are the responsibilities the President assigned Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in a ddition to the constitutional roles:
1. Deputise the president in the execution of all presidential functions that are allowed by the constitution and law.
2. Chair public committees, oversee implementation of cabinet decisions across all ministries and departments.
3. Coordinate intergovernmental relations between the national government and county governments including chairing the Intergovernmental Budget and Economical Council (IBEC).
4. Be the liaison between the constitutional commissions and independent offices in matters that require intervention by the national government including budgets policy formulation and implementation of their recommendations.
5. Coordinate the planning and supervise the implementation of development partners-funded programs and projects.
6. Oversee public sector reforms and any other functions assigned to him from time to time.
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