President Uhuru Kenyatta has reshuffled the Cabinet days after talking tough on mega corruption in his government.
In the changes announced on Friday morning, Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa was fired and replaced by his Education counterpart Amina Mohamed.
Kenya National Examinations Council (Knec) Chairman George Magoha landed a promotion – he will take over from Ms Mohamed and run the Education docket if cleared by Parliament.
Also shown the door was Broadcasting and Telecommunication Principal Secretary Fatuma Hirsi.
“In accordance with Article 155 of the Constitution, the appointment of Mrs Fatuma Hirsi, as a Principal Secretary has been vacated,” Mr Kenyatta said in a statement to newsrooms.
PRINCIPAL SECRETARIES
President Kenyatta also shook up his principal secretaries, with Ms Susan N. Mochache, of the State Department of Cooperatives, being re-assigned to the Ministry of Health.
Mr Ali Noor Ismail was sent to the State Department of Cooperatives, Dr Ibrahim M. Mohamed to the State Department of Environment & Forestry and Mr Peter Kiplagat Tum to the State Department of Labour.
Others appointed were Dr Margaret Mwakima (State Department of East African Community Affairs) and Dr Susan Koech (State Department of Wildlife).
“The portfolio responsibilities and changes made in the structure of government set out in this order shall come into immediate effect,” he said.
The Head of State said the changes were aimed at equipping and and orientating his government in its implementation of the Big Four Agenda— housing, affordable healthcare for all, manufacturing and food security.
The President added that the shake-up was targeted at ” enhancing efficiency, transparency and accountability at all levels of government through a governance structure and leadership that ensures rapid delivery of public services to Kenyans.”
Mr Echesa, who has served as CS for one year, a month and two days, is the first minister to be directly and openly sacked by Mr Kenyatta.
FAILURES
The other CSs who left the Cabinet stepped aside before they were quietly replaced in reshuffles.
The little-known Mr Echesa replaced Hassan Wario, who was appointed Kenya’s ambassador to Austria as Mr Kirimi Kaberia retained his position as principal secretary.
The former Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) youth leader in Kakamega has not had it smooth in the sports docket, with critics questioning his academic credentials during his vetting.
Kenya lost the hosting rights for the 2018 Africa Nations Championships due to lack of facilities under Wario’s watch, but Mr Echesa, his successor, has done little to improve the country’s sporting infrastructure.
None of the five stadiums promised by the Jubilee government has been constructed.
In the war on corruption, mega scandals having rocked his time at State House, Mr Kenyatta has vowed time and again that action will be taken against all individuals found guilty, individuals whom he has said will carry their own crosses.
The scandals rocked various state agencies including the National Cereals and Produce Board, Kenya Pipeline Company, the National Youth Service and Kenya Prisons.
Latest in the headlines are Arror and Kamwerer dams, phantom projects that have cost the taxpayer Sh21 billion so far.
By Daily Nation
