On Thursday, March 23, President Ruto witnessed the swearing-in ceremony of 50 Chief Administrative Secretaries (CASs) at State House, Nairobi.
Notably, on the list were three ex-governors who took the oath of office to diligently and conscientiously serve Kenyans.
They joined the list of former county bosses who made a comeback, by being appointed to President Ruto's government, either within the Executive or parastatal board chairs.
Here are the former county Chief Executives that were handed a lifeline by the Kenya Kwanza government.
- 1. Alfred Mutua
Dr Alfred Mutua has a storied career in public service. Starting out as a journalist, he rose to become the first official Government Spokesperson of Kenya in June 2002 under President Mwai Kibaki.
He served as a two-term governor of Machakos County from 2013 to 2022. In 2013, he won the gubernatorial seat on a Wiper Democratic Movement Party ticket, before seeking reelection on his Maendeleo Chap Chap Party in 2017.
In the run-up to the 2022 General Election, he supported Azimio leader Raila Odinga until switching mid-stream to Kenya Kwanza. As a reward, President William Ruto appointed Mutua to head the Foreign Affairs docket.
- Evans Odhiambo Kidero
He was the first governor of Nairobi County vying on an Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) ticket in March 2013. He lost the 2017 gubernatorial election to Mike Sonko who ran on a Jubilee Party ticket.
In 2022, he vied in the Homa Bay County gubernatorial election as an independent candidate but lost to Glady Wanga.
Kidero, a former Chief Executive Officer of Mumias Sugar Company, challenged Wanga's win in court.
On March 7, 2023, high court judge Justice Roselyne Aburili upheld Wanga’s victory. He was a staunch ODM member but joined a host of leaders from the Nyanza region who dumped Raila for Ruto after the elections.
He was appointed to be CAS in the Ministry of Trade and Industry headed by Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria.
- Samuel Tunai
He was a two-term governor of Narok County and served his second term on a Jubilee Party ticket.
However, he decamped to UDA months before the August 2022 General Election. He vied for the Narok Senatorial senatorial seat but lost to Ledama Olekina of the ODM party.
In October 2022, he was among the 477 people shortlisted for the position of Principal Secretary but missed out.
Ruto appointed Tunai to be CAS in the Ministry of Interior and National Administration headed by Prof Kithure Kindiki. Tunai will work with Millicent Omanga and Amb. Mohamud Ali Saleh.
- Josphat Nanok
He served as a two-term governor of Turkana County. In both terms, he ran on an ODM party ticket.
Before being elected Governor, he represented Turkana South as a Member of Parliament and served as Assistant Minister of Agriculture & Livestock Development in the late President Mwai Kibaki's administration.
In the run-up to the 2022 polls, Nanok decamped from ODM to UDA and served as the Director General of President-elect William Ruto’s Presidential campaign.
He is currently the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Executive Office of the President. He works under Felix Koskei, who is also the Head of Public Service.
- Hussein Dado
He served as the first governor of Tana River County from 2013 to 2017. After losing his re-election bid for the second term, he was appointed CAS in the Ministry of Interior, during President Uhuru Kenyatta's second term.
In 2022, he unsuccessfully vied for the Tana River gubernatorial seat. He was appointed by Ruto to be a CAS in the Public Service and Gender ministry.
Boards of Parastatals
Other ex-governors were rewarded with plum positions on boards of parastatals.
The first governor of Nandi County, Cleophas Lagat, was appointed the chairman of Rivatex East Africa on February 15, 2023. He will serve a three-year term at the Eldoret-based textile firm.
The first governor of Taita Taveta County, John Mruttu, was appointed as the chairman of the board of the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) on November 18, 2022. Mruttu will serve a three-year term at the helm of the parastatal. He previously served as the CEO of Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited.
The first governor of Kisumu County, Jack Ranguma, was appointed as the chairman of the SACCO Societies Regulatory Authority (SASRA). He is set to serve a three-year term from the day of his appointment on February 6, 2023.
On the other hand, former Kisii County governor James Ongwae and Ex-Meru County Governor Kiraitu Murungi who supported Raila are angling for appointments.
