Will President Uhuru name new Cabinet secretaries?

President Uhuru Kenyatta gives his remarks when he hosted youth leaders at State House, Nairobi. [PSCU]

Almost a month and a half since close to 30 senior public officials including Cabinet secretaries resigned to seek elective offices, President Uhuru Kenyatta is yet to appoint their substantive replacements.

The Standard has however learnt that the President has over the last three weeks reorganised his team with a number of Cabinet Secretaries taking up extra roles to cover for the positions left vacant.

Mr Kenyatta opted not to appoint new CSs and instead seconded part of his Cabinet to take over and fill the vacuum left by four ministers who resigned in February to vie in the upcoming polls, by assigning more duties to the remaining CSs.

Defence CS Eugene Wamalwa was appointed to run the Devolution docket that was left without a CS following the resignation of Mr Charles Keter who is now vying for the Kericho governor’s seat.

Mr Wamalwa has previously headed the Devolution docket before handing it over to Keter last year following a Cabinet reshuffle.

On his Twitter page over the weekend, Mr Wamalwa posted: “Hit the ground running after returning to the Ministry of Devolution where l have been appointed by President Kenyatta to act as l run the Ministry of Defence…”

Transport CS James Macharia. He now doubles up as CS in charge of Water and Sanitation. [Elvis Ogina, Standard]

Other members of Cabinet who have taken up extra duties include Transport CS James Macharia who now doubles up as CS in charge of Water and Sanitation, that was previously held by Ms Sicily Kariuki who is eyeing the Nyandarua governor’s seat.

Energy Cabinet Secretary Monica Juma has also been given an additional role in the Petroleum and Mining docket that was under Mr John Munyes who is now an aspirant for the Turkana governor seat.

Industrialisation and Trade CS Betty Maina has also taken over the East African Community and Regional development ministry following the exit of Mr Adan Mohammed who is now eyeing the Mandera governor seat.

Meanwhile, the fate of positions left vacant following the resignation of several chief administrative secretaries remains unknown.