President Uhuru Kenyatta has expressed his confidence with his Cabinet, saying his Cabinet Secretary picks in the newly formed Cabinet are brimming with potential and reflect the lessons learnt from the first administration. Speaking during the swearing-in of Cabinet Secretaries at State House, Nairobi on Friday, President Kenyatta said the newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries have been called to serve with honour and integrity, servant leadership, collective accountability and responsibility. He urged them to treat their new posts with seriousness, “To those whom much has been given, much is accepted. This high office is not a platform for self-actualization and egos,” he remarked.
The Cabinet Secretaries who were sworn-in include Environment CS Keriako Tobiko, Mining CS John Munyes, Foreign Affairs CS Monica Juma, Lands CS Farida Karoney, Sports CS Rashid Echesa Mohammed, Labour CS Ukur Yattani, Water CS Simon Chelugui, East African Community CS Peter Munya, and Ministry of Public Service, Youth and Gender Affairs Prof. Margaret Kobia.
The President said his government promised to give each Kenyan better services and secure a platform through which they can realize their dreams. “They shall receive an open, transparent, and accountable government that could be easily accessible, responsive, and committed to excellence,” he said. He reiterated that he has no reason to doubt that the Cabinet Secretaries will meet the expectations. However, he said they are free to quit whenever they feel the burden of the office is weighing too much on them.
Talking about the composition of his Cabinet, the President said he is satisfied with its diverse representation, “Our nation’s unity is at the heart of my vision. Our greatest strength has been the ability to form a unified nation and for that reason, we have taken the effort to form a cabinet that reflects the face of Kenya,” he said.