State jobs: Ruto continues purge, Sylvanus Maritim among new appointees
The then Kenya Private Sector Alliance (Kepsa) chairman Nick Nesbitt (c) addresses the media after a meeting between private sector captains of industry and government officials, on the state of the economy, manufacturing and job creation, at the Kenya School of Government on November 18, 2019
President William Ruto has continued with a purge on allies of his predecessor Uhuru Kenyatta in various parastatals, in a bid to restructure the government to have persons who understand his agenda.
In a Gazette notice dated February 24, the Head of State has appointed former Sylvanus Maritim to be non-executive chairperson of the Information and Communications Technology Authority for a period of three years, revoking the appointment of Prof Fredrick Owino.
Mr Maritim lost to Benjamin Lang'at during the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) nominations of April 2022.
Dr Ruto has also cancelled the appointment of Wanjiku Wakogi as the Secretary State Corporations Advisory Committee (SCAC), with Muyumba Simmon Indimuli taking over for for a period of three years.
Ms Wakogi was last week appointed to be a member of the technical committee which is the second tier of presidential taskforce set to establish a National Lottery to oversee structures and systems in country's gaming industry.
Dr Ruto has also made changes in the Capital Market Authority (CMA), firing Nick Nesbitt who was appointed by Mr Kenyatta to bring Ugas Mohamed on board as chairperson.
The CMA has also gotten new board members with the exit of John Kipkosgei Birech, Freshia Mugo Waweru, Mark Bichachi, Eli Kamau and Peter Mungai. They have been replaced by Natasha Awuor Aduwo,
Elena Natalia Pellegrini, Meshack Moses Kiprono, Gibson Kimani Maina and Michael Bowen.
Noticeable in the lastest State appointments are chairperson of Talai Council of Elders, Reverend James Bassy, who led Dr Ruto's coronation as the political kingpin of Kalenjins instead of Kanu chairman Gideon Moi. There is also John Seii, former chairperson of Myoot Council of Elders.
The two have appointed as members of the Kenya Cultural Centre Council for a period of two years.
Other Parastatals whose boards have been shaken up include thee Communication Authority of Kenya (CA), where ICT Cabinet Secretary Eliud Owalo has revoked the appointments of Mahmoud Mohamed Noor, Paul Muraguri Mureithi, Jackson Kiprotich Kemboi and Laura Chite and replaced them with Bhoke Christine Nchama, Esther Njoki Njoroge, Mgeni Mboto Hassan, Joel Nyambane Okengo, Eric Langat, Alex Wafula Wamalwa and Nicholas Kamuya Ng’arua.
The National Campaign Against Drug Abuse Authority (Nacada) has not been left out of the shake-up, with former Emgwen MP Elijah Lagat appointed a member alongside Ali Swaleh Nyamai, Ann Njeri Mathu, Fredrick Ngugi and Lucia Nzoongo leading to the firing of John K. Cheruiyot, Alice Wanjira Mutuma and George Ogalo.
With President Ruto determined to make Kenyans embrace the culture of saving, over which he has been pushing for a tenfold increase in premiums for the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Labour CS Florence Bore appointed Isaac Kaberia and Milkah Kimonda as trustees of the fund, and revoked Marion Mutugi and Peter Mweleli's appointments.
Mr Kaberia was early this week shortlisted by Public Service Commission (PSC) for the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) chairperson job.
Trade CS Moses Kuria fired almost the entire board of National Standards Council, replacing former board members with Patricia Okune, Francis Kuria Karu, Grace Nyabonyi Momanyi, Stephen Kipkosgei Yego and Shallow Abdullahi Yayha.
Energy CS Davis Chirchir changed the board of the Kenya Electricity Transmission Company (Ketraco), appointing Jane Gatwiri Gatobu, Michael Maloba, Ashif Kassam and Mercylinne Chepkirui.
CS Chirchir has also shaken up the board of the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation, cancelling the appointments of Brig Hassan Sora, Rhoda Njuguna, Wahome Gitonga and Mary Mwiti, and appointing Mark Nderitu Muturi, Milton Luchiri, Sammy Choge and Peter Kenneth Kimani.
Other Parastatals that now have new boards include the Kenya Film Classification Board, where Sports CS Ababu Namwamba tapped journalist John Njogu Njoroge as board chair, and John Muigai Nyururu, Hariety Namwezi Zitah, Stephanie Kamene Maseki, Kipruto Kiptoo, John Osimbo, Grace Mwendwa Munjuri and Raphael Ekadeli Loperito as members.
Simon Chelugu, minister of Co-operatives and Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Development, has constituted a new board of the Youth Enterprise Development Fund. The members are Josephine Achunga Oyombe, Caroline Wambui Njue, Daniel Kiplangat Mutai, Symon A. Almaida and Jacinta Atemba Makokha.
For the Women Enterprise Fund Advisory Board, Gender Cabinet Secretary Aisha Jumwa appointed Kenneth Maina Wanjiru, Yvonne Tonkei, Chepchumba Koskei, Racheal Mbula Musyoki and Kahindi James as members.
