Former CSs Moses Kuria, Eliud Owalo land new State jobs

Former Cabinet Secretaries Moses Kuria, and Eliud Owalo and Digital Strategist Denis Itumbi have landed new jobs as President William Ruto makes new appointments.

Owalo has been appointed the Deputy Chief of Staff, Performance and Delivery Management while Kuria will serve as senior advisor in Ruto’s economic council of advisors.

The announcement was made on Friday by Chief of State Felix Koskei. “In execution of the high mandate vested in the Head of State and Government, His Excellency the President has, today made appointments to augment the staff complement supporting the implementation of the Bottom Up Economic Agenda (BETA),” reads the statement.

According to Koskei, Owalo in his new appointment will be responsible for the effective and efficient implementation, monitoring and evaluation of priority projects and initiatives of

the 5th administration in line with the BETA Plan.

“Further, the office is charged with overseeing the performance of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies in service delivery,” he noted.

The former CS will also assist in enhancing the implementation of the BETA Plan by the Broad-Based Government. Owalo will work closely with Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Justin Muturi.

Kuria who is the former CS for Public Service, on the other hand, will join President Ruto’s Council of Economic Advisers which is chaired by David Ndii. The other advisors include Nancy Laibuni, and Dr Augustine Cheruiyot, among others.

His appointment came two days after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told Kuria to relax, insisting that no door closes, without another opening.

"My brother Moses Kuria, relax. Hakuna mlango wanafunga bila kufungua ingine (No door closes without another opening). We wish you well," he said.

Kuria in return thanked the Deputy President for wishing him well.

At the same time, Itumbi has been appointed as Head of Creative Economy and Special Projects in the Office of the President. Ruto appointed Itumbi after the approval of the Public Service Commission.

"This appointment will go into fostering this administration's zeal for innovation and growth towards a robust yet novel sector in the economic sphere," a statement read in part.

Both Owalo and Kuria had been appointed to President Ruto’s cabinet in October 2022 but were sent packing on July 11, 2024, when the Head of State dissolved his cabinet.

Itumbi who had been a close ally of President Ruto even before he became President was part of the 50 nominees who were listed for the Chief Administrative Secretary (CAS) positions on March 16, 2024.

He was nominated for the role in the Ministry of Information and Communication and Digital Economy.

Nonetheless, a three-judge bench comprising Justices Hedwig Ong'udi, Kanyi Kimondo and Aleem Visram found the appointments illegal.

As a result, on July 5, 2024, President Ruto suspended the decision to fill the positions of CASs.