President Ruto gazettes newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries

President William Ruto has officially gazetted the newly appointed Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries, with effect from April 17, 2025.

Those gazetted include Hanna Cheptumo, who is set to take over the Gender docket, and Geoffrey Ruku, who will head the Public Service Ministry.

The President effected the move in a gazette notice dated April 16th, 2025.

"In Exercise of the powers conferred by Article 152 (2) of the Constitution of Kenya, 1, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, Geoffrey K. Kiringa Ruku, to be Cabinet Secretaries of the Government of the Republic of Kenya, with effect from the 17th April, 2025.

Dated the 16th April, 2025," read the gazette notice.

This development came shortly after the National Assembly endorsed the nominations following a vetting process by the Appointments Committee, which sparked heated debate in Parliament earlier that day.

President Ruto's appointments proceeded despite widespread backlash from human rights groups, political leaders, and the public, sparked by controversial comments made by the incoming Gender Cabinet Secretary during her vetting on Monday.

In what many have criticized as an instance of victim blaming, Cheptumo suggested that women who fall victim to femicide often do so in the course of seeking financial support.

She argued that such women typically lack economic independence or the education necessary to acquire skills that would enable them to earn a living, emphasizing that “a girl has many needs.”

Meanwhile, Ruku now replaces former Cabinet Secretary Justin Muturi, who was relieved of his duties.