Listen When he first contested an elective seat back in 2002, Eugene Ludovic Wamalwa was still in mourning his more politically accomplished elder brother, then Vice-President Michael Kijana Wamalwa, who deployed his oratory skills and Oxbridge accent to win over friends and foes alike and charm his way to the political high table. And although […]
Listen When Henry Rotich was appointed Finance minister in April 2013, he was only 44 years old. It was a prestigious position for a man with a quiet, almost timid, disposition. And although he had by-passed several of his seniors at Treasury, he was not like other Cabinet secretaries who hungered for media attention. No, […]
Listen It is not usual for a Head of State to isolate a particular member of the Cabinet for praise or censure. But twice in 2021, President Uhuru Kenyatta publicly congratulated Najib Balala, his Cabinet Secretary for Tourism, and the ministry for activities and policies that yielded results in wildlife conservation and the promotion of […]
Listen It is exceedingly appropriate that this account of one of the latest entrants into President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Cabinet, Paul Kihara Kariuki, begins with a focus on the seldom-remarked fact that he is a thespian of note. Throughout his schooling days, from the Duke of Gloucester, now Nairobi School, to the University of Nairobi, and […]
Listen It was a vote of confidence in Peter Munya’s abilities that he was appointed to the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Cooperatives in January 2020. He was tasked with dealing with cartels in the value chain and, it was hoped, streamlining a sector that formed the foundation of Kenya’s economy. The docket was […]
Listen Shy and timid. These two words loudly greeted and nearly scuttled Phyllis Kandie’s entry into the Cabinet. And a member of Parliament even invented a moniker — “shyometer”— on the floor of the august House as members heatedly debated her suitability to head the Ministry of East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism in President […]
Listen Upon taking the Oath of Office on 26 March 2019, Prof. George Omore Magoha joined President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Cabinet as the Jubilee government’s fourth Cabinet Secretary for Education, Science and Technology. His predecessors were Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, Dr. Fred Matiang’i and Ambassador Amina Mohamed. Magoha’s vetting at the National Assembly was not only rigorous […]
Listen Professor Githu Muigai’s career peaked when he served as chief legal advisor to Presidents Mwai Kibaki and Uhuru Kenyatta as they drafted the 2010 constitution. With the exception of the recently deceased Charles Njonjo, who was profiled in an earlier volume of this series, there has not been a more significant Attorney General since […]
Listen At his inauguration in April 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta signalled a firm resolve to protect and conserve Kenya’s natural resources, a first for a newly sworn in Kenyan Head of State. Promising to exploit natural resources in a way that benefits the current generation while safeguarding the interests of generations to come, he asserted […]
Listen On 26 April 2013, President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto addressed an anxious nation at State House Nairobi. Two days before, they had named only 4 out of an expected 18 nominees for the position of Cabinet Secretary. This had created a sense of suspense as the new administration was the first […]