New Nairobi Regional Commissioner named as Rift Valley is split into two regions

Kenya: Western Regional Commissioner (RC) James Ole Serian has been moved to Nairobi and named the commissioner in changes affecting national administration.

Rift Valley has also been split into two; South Rift and North Rift regions.

The new RC for South Rift is Wanyama Musiambo and will be based in Nakuru while Internal Security Secretary Joseph Irungu is the North Rift boss and will be based in Eldoret.

The changes announced by Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery saw Claire Omollo, formerly of Eastern, Osman Warfa formerly of Rift Valley, Njoroge Ndirangu of Nairobi and Francis Mutie of Nyanza, redeployed to Harambee House in Nairobi.

The new Coast RC is Nelson Marwa, who has been the Mombasa County Commissioner. He replaces Francis Kilele, who was moved to Western in the same capacity.

Mohamud Saleh will continue to serve as the North Eastern RC while Nyandarua County commissioner Wilson Njega was promoted and named the RC for Nyanza.

The new RC for Central is Homa Bay County Commissioner Naftali Mungathia while Amos Gathecha is the new Security Secretary And Operations.

The new Eastern RC is Michael Ndungu while Victor Okioma was moved to the newly created Rehabilitation and Integration Department at Harambee House.

The new secretary of administration is Anne Ngetich while Athur Osiya will be the secretary National administration, Wycliffe Ogolla the Secretary Liaison Affairs and Peter Thuku Secretary Peace Building, National Cohesion and Disaster Response.

The move to split Rift Valley is aimed at enhancing security operations in the vast region. The region has been facing challenges including tribal clashes occasioned by land issues.

The changes come ahead of next year’s general elections. The former provincial administration was restructured to accommodate the new commissioners.

This followed the ushering of the 2010 constitution. The RCs replaced Provincial Commissioners in the new dispensation. They chair and coordinate national government issues in their regions including security matters.