The Kenya Human Rights Commission (KHRC) has renewed its push for President William Ruto to drop a section of his cabinet after renominating 11 former cabinet secretaries into his government.
In a planned public debate on the vetted cabinet nominees on Monday, August 5, 2024, at 7 pm, Kenyans are set to discuss the suitability of the proposed CSs even as tensions continue to simmer ahead of August 8.
“When young Kenyans protested, one of their demands was a complete cabinet overhaul. However, Ruto dismissed their call, reappointing 11 people. Worse, Ruto nominated individuals with questionable integrity, showing blatant disregard for public outcry. Ruto’s actions reek of contempt. What’s next? We’re far from letting this go,” KHRC stated.
Retained Cabinet Secretaries
Some of the names from the dissolved cabinet who made it to the list of Ruto’s nominees are Sports CS nominee Kipchumba Murkomen, Public Service CS nominee Justin Muturi, Wildlife & Tourism CS nominee Rebecca Miano, Trade and Industrialisation CS nominee Salim Mvurya and Labour & Social Protection CS nominee Alfred Mutua.
The others are Interior CS nominee Kithure Kindiki, Lands CS nominee Alice Wahome, Environment CS nominee Aden Duale, Defence CS nominee Soipan Tuya, Roads & Transport CS nominee Davis Chirchir and Foreign Affairs CS & Prime Cabinet secretary Musalia Mudavadi.
New faces in cabinet
Some of the new faces making their debut in Ruto’s government are National Treasury CS nominee John Mbadi who was the ODM party chairman until his nomination, Mining CS nominee Hassan Joho, a former ODM deputy party leader and CS nominee for Cooperatives Wycliffe Oparanya who held a similar position in ODM.
Others are CS nominee for Energy Opiyo Wandayi who was the leader of the majority in the National Assembly, Agriculture CS nominee Andrew Karanja, ICT CS nominee Margaret Ndung’u, Education CS nominee Julius Migos, Water CS nominee Eric Muga, Health CS nominee Deborah Mlongo and Gender CS nominee Stella Soi Lang’at.
August 8
A section of the protesting youth had wanted the entire cabinet fired but Ruto reshuffled the majority of them to different ministries, retaining only Kithure Kindiki in his previous docket.
Online campaigns have begun, with influencers calling on the youth to take part in the planned demonstrations on August 8, 2024.
This comes after Parliament officially concluded the vetting of the cabinet secretary nominees on Sunday, August 4, 2024, and is set to give recommendations either approving or disqualifying the CSs nominated by Ruto in the coming days.