Kenya's President Uhuru Kenyatta has sent home two ministers in a cabinet reshuffle.

In a televised State of the Nation Address on Tuesday, the president dropped Agriculture Cabinet secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri and replaced him with Peter Munya while Henry Rotich was replaced by Ukur Yattani as National Treasury boss.

The president, however, did not make any reference to the two in his speech.

The president moved CSs Rachel Omamo from Defence to Foreign Affairs, Sicily Kariuki from Health to Water, Monica Juma from Foreign Affairs to Defence and Simon Chelugui from Water to Labour.

The Head of State also reassigned Mr Joe Okudo as Sports principal secretary, Dr Chris Kiptoo (principal secretary for environment and forestry), Dr Kevit Desai (principal secretary for East Africa Community) and Dr Margaret Mwakima (Principal secretary for regional development).

Others were Ms Esther Koimett (principal secretary for broadcasting and telecommunications), Mr Peter Kaberia (principal secretary for mining), Ms Safina Kwekwe (principal secretary for tourism) and Prof Colletta Suda (principal secretary for gender).

NOMINATIONS

President Kenyatta also made new nominations to the Cabinet as follows:

• Mutahi Kagwe - CS Health
• Betty Maina - CS Industrialisation
• John Weru - PS Trade
• Dr Jwan Ouma - PS Vocational and Technical Training
• Mary Kimunye - PS Public Service
• Simon Nabukwesi - PS University Education and Research
• Solomon Kitungu - PS Transport
• Enoch Momanyi Onyango - PS Physical Planning

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE SECRETARIES

President Kenyatta also appointed new chief administrative secretaries (CASs):

• Hussein Dado – Interior
• Patrick ole Ntutu – Labour and Social Protection
• Andrew Tuimur – Water
• Abdul Bahari – Devolution and ASAL
• Lawrence Karanja – Industrialisation, Trade and Enterprise Development
• Peter Odoyo – Defence
• Maureen Magoma MBaka – ICT, Innovation and You affairs
• Winnie Guchu – State Law Office
• Wavinya Ndeti – Transport
• Zachariah Kinuthia Mugure – Education
• Mumina Bonaya _ Education
• Lina Jebii Kilimo – Agriculture
• Anne Mukami Nyaga – Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives
• Mercy Mwangangi – Health
• Nadia Ahmed Abdallah – ICT, Innovation and Youth Affairs

Mr Rotich exit comes as he faces corruption charges, where he and former Treasury Principal Secretary Kamau Thugge are accused of inflating the cost of constructing two water dams.

The two officials were among more than 10 suspects who were charged on July 23, 2019 with multiple counts, including abuse of office, conspiracy to commit an economic crime, conferring a benefit and single sourcing for the insurance of the projects, and approving payment contrary to the law. 

The court heard that they engaged in a project for the construction of Kimwarer multipurpose dam in Rift Valley, without prior planning.

During his speech, Mr Kenyatta once again reminded his ministers and civil servants that it is time to work and deliver on ruling Jubilee Party's promises as he reiterated his warning against politicking.

"I want the economy to be a more important focus than politics. And this is because our practice throughout our history has been to pursue the political kingdom as opposed to the economic kingdom. But that focus has been wrong," he said.

"It is the reason we still have remnants of poverty despite the years of progress we have made."

Cabinet secretaries who were not affected by the changes include Dr Fred Matiang’i (Interior and Coordination of National Government), Najib Balala (Tourism & Wildlife), James Macharia (Transport, Infrastructure, Housing, Urban Development and Public Works), Amina Mohamed (Sports, Culture & Heritage), Adan Mohamed, (East African Community & Regional Development), Eugene Wamalwa (Devolution) and Charles Keter (Energy).

Others are Joe Mucheru (Information, Communication & Technology), Margaret Kobia ( Public Service & Gender), John Munyes (Mining and Petroleum), Keriako Tobiko (Environment & Forestry), Farida Karoney (Lands & Physical Planning) and George Magoha (Education).

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