President Ruto Pledges Robust Measures to Combat Corruption and Enhance Accountability

The ceremony saw 19 Cabinet Secretaries take their oaths of office, marking a significant step in the country's governance and development journey.

President William Ruto led the swearing-in ceremony for his newly reconstituted Cabinet at State House, Nairobi, on Thursday, pledging a series of measures aimed at eradicating corruption and improving accountability within the public service.

The ceremony saw 19 Cabinet Secretaries take their oaths of office, marking a significant step in the country's governance and development journey. The new appointees are:

Kithure Kindiki (Interior)

Soipan Tuya (Defence)

John Mbadi (Finance)

Adan Duale (Environment)

Davis Chirchir (Roads)

Kipchumba Murkomen (Sports)

Salim Mvurya (Trade)

Margaret Nyambura (ICT)

Justin Muturi (Public Service)

Rebecca Miano (Tourism)

Alfred Mutua (Labour)

Opiyo Wandayi (Energy)

Julius Migosi (Education)

Eric Muga (Water)

Hassan Joho (Mining)

Alice Wahome (Lands)

Deborah Barasa (Health)

Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives)

The positions for Gender and East African Community (EAC) remain vacant. Ms. Stella Lang'at's nomination for Gender and Culture was rejected by the National Assembly, and Ms. Beatrice Askul, the nominee for the EAC ministry, is yet to be vetted.

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi attended the ceremony, which was witnessed by the new Cabinet Secretaries alongside their families.

In his address, President Ruto emphasized that while progress has been made under the Bottom Up Economic Transformation Agenda, the new Cabinet is expected to achieve even greater results. He expressed confidence in the appointees' ability to meet the public's expectations.

To combat corruption, President Ruto announced several key initiatives:

Unified Personal Identification System: To eliminate "ghost workers" and enhance accountability.

Continuous Vetting of Public Officers: A legal and institutional framework will be proposed for this purpose.

Legislative Amendments: Speeding up changes to the Witness Protection Act, Evidence Act, and Criminal Procedure Code to strengthen anti-corruption efforts.

Conflict of Interest Bill: Aiming to overhaul the approach to managing conflicts of interest in public service.

Digitization of Procurement Processes: To ensure transparency and openness.

Zero-Based Budgeting: Starting the 2025/2026 financial year, this system will re-orient government expenditure.

President Ruto also reiterated the importance of inclusivity and collaboration, urging the formation of alliances among political rivals to harness collective expertise for national progress. He recalled Kenya's history of overcoming challenges through dialogue and consensus, urging current leaders to set aside partisan interests for the greater good of the country.

The new Cabinet is tasked with driving forward President Ruto's agenda and addressing both historical and emerging challenges to shape a prosperous future for Kenya.