Kihika shakes up Nakuru cabinet in third reshuffle since 2022
CECM for Health Services Roselyn Mungai has been moved to Water, Energy and Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change.
Governor Susan Kihika has made fresh changes to her executive team, moving several County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) and Chief Officers to different departments in another restructuring of her administration.
The changes affect several departments, including Health Services, Agriculture, Lands, Water, Energy and Environment, and Public Service.
Mtaa Wangu has established that County Executive Committee Members (CECMs) and Chief Officers have been moved to new portfolios, with some taking up responsibilities in departments different from those they previously headed.
In the latest changes, CECM for Health Services Roselyn Mungai has been moved to Water, Energy and Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change.
Ambrose Ngare Ogeto moves from Public Service, Training and Devolution to Youth, Sports, Gender, Social Services and Inclusivity, while Elga Adoyo Riaga moves in the opposite direction to Public Service, Training and Devolution.
Stephen Kuria Muiruri has been reassigned to Health Services, while Nelson Tanui Maara moves to Trade, Cooperatives, Tourism and Culture.
At the Chief Officer level, Joyce Ncece moves from Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance to Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services.
Edward Gitau Kamau has been reassigned from Public Participation and Citizen Engagement to Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, while Kennedy Mugo moves from Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development to Public Participation and Citizen Engagement.
Stella Mbaire Mwaura moves from Water, Energy and Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change to Lands, Physical Planning, Housing and Urban Development.
Margaret Wanjiru Kinyanjui, who previously headed Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Veterinary Services, moves to Water, Energy and Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change.
Elizabeth Kiptoo who has been serving as the Director for Public Health has now been officially confirmed as Chief Officer for the same department.
The latest changes come after a recent reassignment of Chief Officer Victor Achoka Mwandale from Resource Mobilization to Finance and Economic Planning. However, this wasn’t publicly announced.
Mtaa Wangu reached out to County Director of Communications Bernard Namunane for comments on the changes who confirmed that the changes were made during a Cabinet meeting on Friday evening.
Namunane says the reshuffle was intended to tap into the competencies and energies of the team and align them with the Governor’s priorities on service delivery and project implementation.
“I can confirm that Governor Susan Kihika reshuffled her Cabinet on Friday evening during a late afternoon Cabinet meeting. The reshuffle was meant to tap in on the competencies and energies of the team to align with Governor's priorities in better service delivery and project implementation for the people of Nakuru,” he says.
He adds that the full list of changes would be released in due time, noting that the reshuffle involved “a couple of CECs and COs”.
The changes mark the third round of restructuring under Kihika, who has periodically reorganized her executive team since assuming office in 2022 with the department of Education and Vocational Training department in limbo as it has still no assigned chief officer.