Mudavadi to oversee Kenya’s Foregn Policy as President Ruto reshuffles Cabinet

President William Ruto on Wednesday announced his first major cabinet reshuffle late Wednesday, in a move that saw various ministries merged and renamed. The cabinet reshuffles saw the expansion of the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary to include the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, headed by Musalia Mudavadi.

The Cabinet Secretary for Foregn Affairs who has been been a vocal supporter of deploying Kenyan police to Haiti to quell gang violence in the nation’s capital has been moved to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildklife. Further, the vocal Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has been moved to the newly reconstituted and renamed Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management.

According to the Head of State, the reshuffles will “optimize performance and enhance delivery” of the administration’s agenda. .The President established a new docket for the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage, to be headed by Aisha Jumwa. Ruto further removed the Arts portfolio from the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Arts and Sports and renamed it to Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports under CS Ababu Namwamba who was not affected by the reshuffle.

Rebecca Mianoreplaces Kuria at the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry, leaving the Ministry of East African Community, the ASALs and Regional Development to Peninah Malonza. CS Alice Wahome heads over to the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, switching positions with Zachariah Njeru who now takes over the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation.

The President also reorganized the Principal Secretaries, with Harsama Kello taking over the State Department for the ASALs and Regional Development. Julius Korir moves into the State Department for Water and Sanitation, and Geoffrey Kaituko the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs. Other reorganizations among Principal Secretaries include: Shadrack Mwadime (Labour and Skills Development), Paul Ronoh (Crops Development), Idris Salim Dokota (Cabinet Affairs), Anne Wang’ombe (Gender and Affirmative Action), and Veronic Nduva (Performance and Delivery Management).