By Patrick Chiriba

Mombasa: 05/10/2023: President William Ruto has announced his first Cabinet reshuffle, with eight Cabinet Secretaries being reassigned to different ministries.

According to a statement by the Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei, the move to reorganise the government is to optimize performance and enhance service delivery under the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

In the statement sent on Wednesday night, the Chief of Staff announced that the President has expanded the portfolio mandate of the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary to include the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs.

Dr. Alfred Mutua, who headed the Foreign Affairs docket, will now be in charge of the Ministry of Tourism & Wildlife.

The docket formerly known as the Ministry of Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage has been reconstituted and renamed as the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.

Peninah Malonza, previously in charge of that ministry, has been transferred to the Ministry of East African Community, the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands, and Regional Development.

She replaces Rebecca Miano, who will now head the Investments, Trade and Industry docket, previously headed by Moses Kuria.

CS Kuria has been moved to the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management.

The newly established ministerial portfolio of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage will be headed by Aisha Jumwa.

Jumwa previously headed the Ministry of Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action, which has also been reconstituted and renamed the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management.

In a direct ministry to ministry swap, CS Alice Wahome takes over the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development, replacing Zacharia Njeru, who will now serve in the Water, Sanitation and Irrigation docket.

CS Ababu Namwamba retains the Sports ministry, which has been reconstituted and renamed as the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. The docket was previously called the Ministry of Youth Affairs, the Arts and Sports.