In what appeared to be a drastic response to the Precious Talent School tragedy, Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko suspended several members of his administration on Wednesday, September 25.
But it was the inclusion of one name in the list of the sixteen suspended county officials that left tongues wagging. Sonko's 'super minister' Charles Kerich, a man who had risen from the fringes of local media to become Sonko's de facto deputy governor.
Charles Kerich had been a regular face in the city county's government with the governor standing by him even when changes were taking place within his county leadership.
Kerich has served in different media houses even before graduating with a Bachelor's Degree from Daystar University in 2006.
He joined Radio Africa as a news editor where he worked from 2000 to 2006. Kerich then joined Radio Citizen as an Associate editor where he worked until 2008.
Kerich then went back to Radio Africa where he took over The Star as a Managing Editor team for 11 years.
During this period, he went on to get his Masters in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Nairobi in 2016.
Kerich first got noticed when he got appointed as Chairman of the Media Council of Kenya by Information, Communications and Technology (ICT) Cabinet Secretary Joe Mucheru in August 2017.
He went on to become one of the most prominent figures in Sonko's government when he was appointed CEC in the department of ICT and E-Government where he was vetted and approved in November 2017.
Kerich was transferred into the lands Ministry where he replaced Peter Njuguna in a February 2018 reshuffle.
He then took over the Finance and Economic Planning docket when Danvas Makori was let go in April 2018.
Kerich also served as a Health Minister after Sonko suspended Vesca Kangogo in the wake of the suspicious disposal of the bodies of 12 infants at Pumwani hospital.
He was made "Super CEC" by Sonko in July 2019 giving him the responsibility of overseeing all dockets in the county.
Kerich was dismissed on Wednesday, September 25 alongside other 15 county officials to allow for investigations into the Precious Talent School collapse where killed eight pupils lost their lives.
