President William Ruto has officially appointed Geoffrey Ruku and Hanna Cheptumo as Cabinet Secretaries, marking a significant reshuffle in his administration. The appointments, effective April 17, 2025, were gazetted following approval by the National Assembly after the vetting process.
Geoffrey Ruku, previously serving as the Member of Parliament for Mbeere North, has been appointed as the Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Projects. During his vetting, Ruku emphasized his commitment to reforming the public service sector. He outlined plans to introduce a digital system for tracking civil servants’ productivity and pledged to ensure equitable representation in public appointments, aligning with Kenya’s constitutional principles. Ruku’s appointment follows the dismissal of his predecessor, Justin Muturi, in a broader cabinet overhaul.
Hanna Cheptumo, on the other hand, takes over the Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts, and Heritage. Her appointment fills a position that had been vacant since the dismissal of the previous cabinet in July 2024. Cheptumo, the widow of former Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, faced backlash during her vetting for controversial remarks on gender-based violence. Despite the backlash, her nomination was approved, with lawmakers emphasizing the need for her to apologize and move forward with her duties.
Both appointments have sparked public interest, not only for the nominees’ qualifications but also for their declared wealth. Ruku and Cheptumo disclosed a combined net worth exceeding Ksh790 million during the vetting process, raising discussions on wealth transparency in public office.
The Principal Secretaries include Dr. Jane Imbunya, Regina Akoth, Cyrell Wagunda, Dr. Caroline Karugu, and Dr. Fredrick Oluga Ouma.
Others are: Ahmed Ibrahim, Judith Pareno, Boniface Makokha and Prof. Shaukar Abdulrazak.
Stephen Isaboke, Michel Lenasalon, Frikirini Kahindi, Carren Achieng, and Aden Millah were also appointed by President Ruto.
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