Kenya: William Ruto Formally Appoints Ministers for His New Government

Kenyan President William Ruto, Aug 2024 Photo: EFE

August 7, 2024 Hour: 5:35 pm

The announcement was published in the official gazette of Kenya after the appointment committee of the Parliament approved the appointment of nineteen ministers

Kenyan President William Ruto formally appointed the ministers of his new government, which includes members of the opposition, on Wednesday after dismissing almost the entire executive on 11 July.

The announcement was published in the official gazette of Kenya after the appointment committee of the Parliament approved the appointment of nineteen ministers, who will join the vice-chairman, Rigathi Gachagua; the minister of foreign affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, and Ruto himself, the only members of the Government who were not dismissed at that time.

The only candidate not to be accepted was Stella Lang’at, proposed for the Ministry of Gender, Culture, Art and Heritage, as the commission considered that she had not demonstrated adequate knowledge of current issues, portfolio related administrative and technical.

In addition to several reelection ministers, such as Kithure Kindiki of the Interior, four are members of the opposition Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), the party of Raila Odinga, historical opposition leader who lost the elections to Ruto in August 2022.

President William Ruto has gazetted the 19 nominated Cabinet Secretaries approved by the national assembly. They include:
1. Kithure Kindiki, Hon. (Prof.).,
2.Roselinda Soipan Tuya, Hon.,
3. John Mbadi Ng'ongo, Hon.,
4. Justin Bedan Muturi, Hon.,
5. Aden Bare Duale, Hon., pic.twitter.com/Dc1NjnO8uk
— Eroo Mtetezi (@MteteziEroo) August 7, 2024

The ministries given to opponents are Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs; Finance and Economic Planning; Energy and Oil; and Cooperatives and Small and Medium-Sized Business Development.

The changes in government followed weeks of mass demonstrations, which began on 18 June.