Profiles of President William Ruto Cabinet nominees

DATE OF BIRTH: July 17, 1972

GENDER: Male

OCCUPATION: Politician, Lawyer

FAMILY

Married to Joyce Kithure. They have two children.

BIOGRAPHY: Prof Kindiki is the Cabinet Secretary nominee for Interior and Administration of National Government; @KindikiKithure

Justin Muturi- Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management

DATE OF BIRTH: April 28, 1956

GENDER: Male

OCCUPATION: Politician, Lawyer

FAMILY: Has children.

BIOGRAPHY

Education background: After completing primary schooling, he joined Kangaru Boys High School and later University of Nairobi in 1978 to study law. He graduated with a Law degree in 1981. He then went to Kenya School of Law for a Post Graduate diploma in Law and was admitted as an advocate of the High court of Kenya in 1982.

Early career: After law school, Muturi served as a principal magistrate between 1982 and 1997 before retiring from judicial service to enter politics. Towards the end of his legal career, he had been accused of soliciting a Sh1 million bribe during his tenure as magistrate. He faced the allegations in court and was later acquitted, but never returned to the Judiciary. He has always refuted the claims, adding that it was a scheme to fix him.

Political career: He was first elected to parliament in 1999 as MP for Siakago in a by-election following the death of then MP Silas Ita. He was re-elected in 2002 and served as opposition chief whip and chair of the Public Investment Committee in the 10th Parliament.

Mr Muturi was defeated for the Siakago Constituency MP seat by Lenny Kivuti in the 2007 general elections. Five years later, in 2013, he was elected Speaker of National Assembly after his attempt to recapture the seat, now renamed Mbeere North, failed in that year’s general elections.

During his time in politics, Muturi has served as a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on the constitutional review from 1999 to 2004, and Kanu National Organising Secretary. In April 2011, he was appointed the chairman of the Centre for Multiparty Democracy (CMD), a civil society group that deals with democracy issues in multi-party politics.

Muturi is the seventh Speaker of the National Assembly of Kenya. He is the first Speaker to serve following the re-establishment of a bicameral Parliament.

Roselinda Soipan Tuya- Defence

Roselinda Soipan Tuya never considered herself made for politics. In fact, she reviled politics early in her life despite being born in a political family with her father serving as an MP and mother as a councillor.

But it is politics that has catapulted the 44-year-old to a cusp away from being the “most powerful” woman in the country with MPs the only obstacle standing in her way.

Ms Tuya is the nominee for the Defence docket, swapping places with Aden Duale (Environment), following a last-minute change by President William Ruto to his cabinet secretaries’ nominee list presented to Parliament for vetting.

Should she be approved, the renowned advocate will join a hallowed list of few women who have occupied the powerful Defence ministry. Only Monica Juma and Raychelle Omamo can boast of having bestrode the dreaded steps of DoD.

The University of Washington alumna will be the third woman to hold the position under the 2010 Constitution.

Until last month, Ms Tuya was the Environment CS – a role she held since 2022 succeeding Keriako Tobiko. But a move by President Ruto to dismiss his Cabinet now sees the former Narok Woman Representative toying with an enviable destiny.

The Environment CS position saw her become the first Maa woman to be named in Cabinet since independence.

The two-term Narok Woman Rep comes from a political family with her father, Samson Ole Tuya, being a former two-term Narok South MP while her mother served as a councillor in the defunct Narok County Council.

But for her, politics was not coursing in her blood as she preferred the life of an advocate to being a politician.

Overtures in 2011 to have her throw her heart in the running for Narok Woman Representative position, at the advent of devolution, was turned down. However, fate had other ideas for the then 31-year-old.

The University of Nairobi alumna found herself thrust into murky political waters, heels deep, two months to the 2013 elections following the death of Patricia Parsitau.

Despite the late entrance and having to fill such big shoes of the late Parsitau, she emerged victorious garnering the highest number of votes in the county in that election securing more than 140,000 votes.

She ran under the United Republican Party associated with Dr Ruto and would defend the seat in the next election in 2017 on a Jubilee Party ticket.

During her second term in Parliament, Ms Tuya served as the chairperson of the Speakers Panel where she was among the chosen few MPs who had an opportunity to chair National Assembly proceedings in the absence of the Speaker and his Deputy.

But her star began shining even in her first term where she was selected to chair the crucial Implementation committee tasked with forming a connection between Parliament and the Executive with its main role being to ensure that what has been discussed in parliament was implemented by the Executive.

She also served as a member of the Defence and Foreign Relations Committee, Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs and Procedure and House Rules Committee.

As a woman who has never been shy from daring where few women would, she dumped the Jubilee party to move with Dr Ruto to the United Democratic Alliance (UDA).

Ms Tuya would later announce she will not defend her seat in the August 2022 elections but will gun for the gubernatorial seat.

She was to take on Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo and former Labour CAS Patrick Ntutu, now the governor, for the UDA party ticket.

It took the intervention of President Ruto for her to shelve her gubernatorial ambitions in favour of Ntutu.

And as sure as the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, Ms Tuya was nominated by the UDA party in the Senate before later resigning to take over as Environment CS.

Salim Mvurya- Investments, Trade and Industry

A two-term governor of Kwale County, the soft-spoken politician has been reappointed to Cabinet, and moved from Mining and Blue Economy to that of Investments, Trade and Industry. He is known for spearheading the aerial mapping of the country’s minerals, in a survey that revealed that Kenya has 970 minerals including industrial minerals, base metals, precious metals, rare earth and radio-active minerals, gemstones, construction and building materials, and geothermal resources.

Mr Mvurya recently announced the discovery of huge deposits of the valuable mineral coltan, the mining minister has said.

The rare mineral is used to manufacture electric car batteries, mobile phones and other electronic devices.

He has a degree in Agri-Business Management from Egerton University and a Master’s in Participation, Power and Social Change from the Institute Of Development Studies, University of Sussex in England, UK.

Prior to appointment as Cabinet Secretary he served as Governor, Kwale County for 10 years (two terms), from 2013 to 2022. He also served as the vice chairman of the Council of Governors for two terms.

Rebecca Miano- Tourism and Wildlife

Ms Miano is an advocate of the High Court and is also a registered Certified Public Secretary of Kenya. She attained fellowship status (FCS) from the Institute of Certified Public Secretaries of Kenya (ICPSK) in October 2023.

Before joining Cabinet, Ms Miano is best known for her role as Managing Director of the Kenya Electricity Generating (KenGen) Company, producer of electricity in the East African region, for a period five years starting in 2017.

Ms Miano previously served on the Finance Committee of the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK).

Since her appointment to Cabinet in 2022, she has served in the East African Affairs docket, before moving to her former engagement in Investments, Trade and Industry.

Ms Miano holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Degree, a Diploma in Law, and post-graduate studies in Comparative Law. In 2010, she completed the Advanced Management Program at Strathmore University and is also a member of the Law Society of Kenya (LSK).

Kipchumba Murkomen- Youth Affairs, Creative Economy and Sports

A former Elgeyo Marakwet senator, Mr Murkomen also served as Majority Leader of the Senate (2017-2020).

He was tapped after winning a third term at the Senate in 2022 for an appointment to the role of Cabinet Secretary, Roads and Transport.

Mr Murkomen graduated from the University of Nairobi with a Degree in Law in 2004 and later from the Kenya School of Law with a Post Graduate degree in the same.

He holds a Master of Laws from the American University Washington College of Law and from the University of Pretoria in South Africa.

He has worked as a lecturer at the University of Nairobi, Moi University, and Catholic University, and has consulted and researched widely on topical issues of global interest among them the Global Organization in Human Rights and Environmental Conservation.

Alfred Mutua-Labour and Social Protection

Prior to his appointment to Cabinet in 2022, he served as the First Governor of Machakos County for two terms, from 2013 to 2022.

Dr Mutua had also previously served the country as the Official Government Spokesman between 2002 and 2012 under President Mwai Kibaki’s government, famously coining the ‘Najivunia Kuwa Mkenya’ (I am proud to be a Kenyan).

Dr Mutua, who has a Doctorate in Communication and Media has been a journalist, author, businessman, lecturer, civil servant and a politician.

He was a lecturer in Daystar University, Kenya, University of Western Sydney, Australia, Macquire University, Australia and Zayed University, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

He is a seasoned journalist and movie maker who has worked around the world as a foreign correspondent and a travel features writer. He is best known in Kenya for producing Kenya’s first Action movie series, Cobra Squad and the TV series Beba Beba.

Alice Wahome- Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development

Alice Muthoni Wahome, born on April 28, 1959, is a Kenyan politician.

Ms Wahome completed her primary education at Karumu Primary School and her secondary education at Siakago High School.

She studied law at the University of Nairobi and graduated with honors. She went on to obtain a post-graduate diploma in law from the Kenya School of Law. Her occupation is that of a lawyer.

Ms Wahome was elected as a Member of Parliament for the Kandara Constituency in the March 2013 national elections. She then reclaimed the seat in 2017 and was re-elected for the third time in 2022.

Ms Wahome, who was contesting on a UDA ticket, was declared the winner with 39,009 votes.

She ran on a platform of human rights and the advancement of women leadership. Between 1999 and 2001, she was heavily involved in affirmative action advocacy, serving as vice-chairperson of the Fida council. She was also a member of the Law Society of Kenya’s council for two years.

From 1985 to 1988, Wahome worked as a State Counsel in the Attorney General’s Chambers. She also works as a legal practitioner at her own firm, A. M. Wahome and Company Advocates.

Ms Wahome was a member of several house committees from 2013 to 2017, including the Departmental Committee on Administration and National Security, the Constitutional Implementation Oversight Committee, and the Procedure and House Rules Committee.

She was Vice Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Justice and Legal Affairs and a member of the Committee on Delegated Legislation from 2017 to 2022.

Ms Wahome’s interests include women’s empowerment, girl child education, health, infrastructure, and water supply.

Ms Wahome is married to Godfrey Wahome and together they have four children.

Aden Barre Duale-Environment, Climate Change and Forestry

Mr Duale was Kenya’s first Leader of Majority Party in the National Assembly where he served in the 11th and 12th Parliament until July, 2020 (for 8 years).

He was first elected into parliament in the year 2007, re-elected in the year 2013, 2017 and 2022.

Mr Duale is credited with sponsoring 101 Government Bills in the 11th Parliament as the Leader of Majority Party. He was first elected Member of Parliament for Dujis Constituency in the 10th Parliament and further served as Assistant Minister for Livestock in the Coalition Government. He was additionally a member of Departmental Committee on Energy and Communication.

Mr Duale holds a Bachelor of Education Degree from Moi University which he undertook from 1988 to 1992.

He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.

He is a founding member of various political parties including, the Orange Democratic Movement, the United Republican Party, the Jubilee Party and United Democratic Alliance.

Mr Duale is also family man, married and with five children.

Davis Chirchir- Roads and Transport

Mr Chirchir has twice served as Cabinet Secretary for Energy (2013-205 and 2022-2024), before he was moved to Roads and Transport in the reorganised Cabinet.

Before his reappointment to Cabinet in 2022, he was the Chief of Staff to the Deputy President.

He was also a Commissioner at the Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) where he spearheaded the introduction and application of information technology and reform initiatives in voter registration and election results management.

This was preceded by his role as General Manager at Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (KPTC) where he coordinated the restructuring of KPTC to create Telkom Kenya, Communication Commission of Kenya, Postal Corporation of Kenya and staff Pension Fund. He also coordinated the privatization of Telkom Kenya and establishment of Safaricom. He was a member of the Technology Committee at Nairobi Stock Exchange and supported the computerization of the Central Depository and Trading System.

Mr Chirchir holds a Masters of Business Administration in International Management from Royal Holloway School of Management, University of London. He also holds a postgraduate diploma in Tele-traffic Engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Physics from the University of Nairobi.

Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya - Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development

Mr Oparanya is a two-term governor of Kakamega County, who also served as the Council of Governors chairperson for two terms between 2013 and 2022.

He first joined politics in 2002 when he was elected Butere MP, and was later in 2008 named Minister of State for Planning, National Development and Vision 2030 in government of President Mwai Kibaki.

Mr Oparanya was credited with delivering the 2009 National Census, and successfully wading through the crisis that arose after on the numbers.

He is currently the deputy party leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) and is also the chairperson of the National Coalition Executive Council of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition.

Mr Oparanya holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting option) and an MBA (Finance) from the University of Nairobi and is currently in the process of completing his PhD (Economics) at the University of Dar- es- Salaam, Tanzania.

 He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the Certified Public Accountants of Kenya (ICPAK) as well as numerous other professional bodies. Mr Oparanya has over two decades’ experience in local and international Finance Management, Audit and Business Consultancy.

John Mbadi- National Treasury and Economic Planning

Mr John Mbadi Ng’ongo has 28 years’ experience in the field of finance, leadership and politics.

His career trajectory includes roles ranging from accountant to finance director culminating in his current position as the chairman of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party secretariat on finance matters.

In the National Assembly, the four-term MP serves as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) responsible for holding ministries, departments and agencies accountable on public finance matters.

He has also served as a Leader of Minority from 2017-2022.

He has a Bachelor’s degree of Commerce (Accounting option) from the University of Nairobi and is a Certified Public Accountant of Kenya (CPA-K) holder.

Before joining Parliament, he had served as Finance Director at Medair East Africa-South Sudan programme; senior accountant at the University of Nairobi, among other roles at the institution, after his graduation in 1996.

James Opiyo Wandayi- Energy and Petroleum

Currently the Leader of the Minority Party in the National Assembly, Mr Wandayi first joined Parliament in 2013.

He served as the chairperson of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) between 2017 and 2022, and led the team interrogate use of public funds by the National Government, the Judiciary, Constitutional commissions and independent offices.

Prior to joining politics, Mr Wandayi had extensive experience in strategic and operational management, where between 1998 and 2012, he held core management positions in the private sector within and outside Kenya, last being the Lead, Business Sustainability Manager, responsible for Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo, at the British American Tobacco (BAT).

Mr Wandayi is a graduate of the University of Nairobi where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, specialising in Agricultural Economics in 1996.

He also has a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and a diploma in Business Management from the Kenya Institute of Management (KIM).

He has recently obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from Daystar University.

Hassan Joho- Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs

Mr Joho served as Mombasa governor from 2013 to 2022, and before then a one-term Member of Parliament, Kisauni Constituency.

During his term in the National Assembly, Governor Joho served as the Assistant Minister for Transport, and Vice Chairman of the Foreign, Defence & Election Committee,

He is currently serving as the National Deputy Party Leader of the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), a party on whose platform he has been elected since 2007.

Mr Joho holds a B.A in Business and Human Resource Management from Kampala University and diploma in business, shipping, logistics and ICT.

Stella Soi Lang’at-Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage

Currently the Director of Administration at the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Ms Lang’at joins Cabinet having served in various ranks of the civil service, including as Bomet County Secretary, 2020-2021.

M Lang’at also served as Director of Administration at the State Department of Housing and Urban Development (2021-2024).

Before she went to Bomet County, she had served as Senior Deputy County Commissioner in Nyamira in 2019, a role preceded by Deputy County Commissioner roles in Bomet, Kisii, and Kitui between March 2015 and February 2019.

Ms Lang’at has a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science Major) from the University of Nairobi 1990-1993, and has a Master’s in Public Administration from Moi University in 2009.

Julius Migos Ogamba-Education

Mr Migos currently serves as the chairman of the Board of Kenya Electricity Generating Company PLC (KenGen). He took over the position on March 1, 2023.

If Parliament approves his nomination, Mr Migos will take over the Education Ministry from former CS Ezekiel Machogu, whom they together unsuccessfully vied for the 2022 Kisii County Gubernatorial seat on UDA.

Mr Machogu had picked Mr Migosi, 57, as his running mate after dropping Mr John Momanyi.

Mr Migos who hails from Kitutu Chache North in Kisii County is an accomplished advocate with nearly 30 years of legal practice experience. He ran for the Kitutu Chache North parliamentary seat on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket in the 2017 election but lost to Jimmy Angwenyi.

Mr Migos has a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Nairobi, a Diploma in Law from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies at the University of London, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law. He is a Commissioner for Oaths and Notary Public, as well as a member of the Kenya Law Society.

Dr Debrah Mulonga Barasa- Health

President William Ruto’s new Health Cabinet Secretary nominee, Dr Deborah Mulonga Barasa, has 15 years’ experience and had a stint at the World Health Organisation, a profile of her shared by State House shows.

Dr Barasa, who will take over from Susan Nakhumicha if approved by Parliament, is a medical doctor specializing in internal medicine and infectious diseases.

“Over 15 years’ field experience as a senior officer with progression to an internal medicine physician and technical advisor having worked in health institutions both national, referral, private and community based organisations,” State House indicates on her official profile.

State House’s profile of Dr Barasa also showed that she co-led the infectious disease pillar addressing outbreak-prone infections such as respiratory infections (Covid-19, diphtheria),viral hemorrhagic  fevers like Ebola and small vessel disease(SVD) as well as contagious diarrhoea (cholera).

The new Health CS nominee graduated from the University of Nairobi(UoN) in 2006 with a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, has a Masters of Medicine in Internal Medicine from the same institution and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Science in Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Dr Barasa has worked at Mater Hospital where she was an internal medicine physician, CHANF Community Health Services (CHANF-CNS) which is based in Kitengela, Kajiado County as a consultant physician on the same and was currently working at the World Health Organisation (WHO) Africa Hub which is based in Nairobi.

She also explains that apart from internal medicine/infectious disease her core competencies include communicable and non-communicable disease prevention and control for clinical cases and public health programs.

Eric Muriithi Mugaa- Water, Sanitation and Irrigation

At the ripe age of 32 years old, Mr Mugaa, an engineer, could be one of the youngest Cabinet Secretaries in recent times. 

Mr Mugaa is currently as a project engineer at the Kilifi Mariakani Water and Sewerage Company Limited in Kilifi where he was involved in the design and review of water sanitation works.

He has an experience in the operations and management of engineering projects such as water hydraulic modelling, design of water networks and the treatment of water plants and water structures.

Apart from boasting an experience in water management, Mr Mugaa also holds a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering specialising in water resources from the University of Nairobi. He also graduated top of his undergraduate class at the University of Nairobi while pursuing a degree in civil engineering.

Mr Mugaa is also an alumni of the Lenana School and studied his primary school studies at Maua in Meru, Kenya. He began his career as a teacher in KIrindine Secondary School in Meru before beginning his practice as an engineer.

Margaret Nyambura Ndung'u- Information, Communication and the Digital Economy

Dr Margaret Nyambura Ndungú who has been nominated as the ICT cabinet secretary has been involved in numerous ICT projects within and across Africa continent. She currently serves as senior research manager at Global Digital Inclusion where she coordinates research projects on diverse countries namely Uganda, South Africa, Mozambique, Nigeria, Cambodia Bangladesh, El Salvador, India, Philippines and Mozambique.

She has also worked at the Gender Justice in STEM Research Africa as a co-investigator in Cybersecurity Mentorship project.

She holds a doctorate degree in Information Systems from University of Nairobi and a Master’s Degree in Management Science from the University of Nairobi. She completed her undergraduate studies from the Moi University and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science in Information Science.

She has also worked as a Senior Regulatory and Internet Governance Expert at the African Union Commission in an EU-funded project.

In Kenya, she was involved in the development of Kenya’s National Digital Masterplan 2022-2032. The project involved the development of infrastructure deployment and digital innovations for sustainable development with related regulations.

Dr Andrew Mwihia Karanja- Agriculture and Livestock Development

Dr. Karanja has over 36 years’ experience in public sector both locally and internationally in the fields of development economics, rural development and finance, agriculture and livestock development. He started his career as an extension officer at the Ministry Agriculture and Livestock Development. He also worked as a Planning Officer in the same ministry. Later he joined Coffee Research Foundation (CRF) as a Research Officer/Agricultural Economist where he rose to Senior Agricultural Economist and Head of Economics Department. He was a research fellow at Tegemeo Policy Research Institute in 2002, where he undertook policy research on liberalization of the dairy industry, among others.

Dr. Karanja joined the World Bank in 2003, as an Agricultural Economist and later promoted to

Senior Agricultural Economist in charge of World Bank rural and agriculture portfolio in Kenya

and in the East Africa region. He has a PhD in Development Economics and Policy from Wageningen University, Netherlands, a MSc in Agricultural Economics from University of Nairobi and Bachelor degree in Agriculture from University of Nairobi.

Beatrice Askul Moe- East African Community Affairs and Regional Development

Ms Moe is a social scientists and consultant, having previously served as the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Water, Irrigation, Agriculture and Land Reclamation in Turkana County.

She has previously served as a Director at the Rift Valley Water Services Board, chaired the Technical and audit Committees of the same body; as well served as a project officer at AMREF Kenya-Turkana County.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences (Social Work) from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and is pursuing a Master’s degree in Governance and Ethics.

Dorcas Agik Oduor- Attorney General

If approved by Parliament, Ms Oduor is set to be Kenya’s first female Attorney General.

Currently the Secretary of Public Prosecutions in the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms Oduor is a distinguished jurist, a Senior Counsel who’s earned her accolades in litigation, draughtsman and legal advisories.

Ms Oduor was admitted to the bar as an advocate of the High Court in 1992, having attained her Bachelor of Laws Degree in 1990, and a postgraduate diploma at the Kenya School of Law a year later.

-Compiled by Eric Mutai, David Mwere, Ndubi Moturi, Leon Lidigu, and Ruth Mbula