President William Ruto has nominated Lawyer Julius Migosi Ogamba, as Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) to replace former CS Ezekiel Machogu who had picked him as his running mate for Kisii county gubernatorial seat in the last general election.

Machogu, who had contested through the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party and lost to ODM’s Simba Arati, was appointed Education CS while Ogamba was appointed as chairman of the Kenya Electricity Generation Company.

As a seasoned and accomplished Advocate of the High Court with experience of more than 25 years, Migosi campaigned for Ruto’s bottom-up model of leadership, which endeared the President to appoint him as a board chairman at Ken Gen.

Migosi’s input to UDA

Migosi, a graduate of the University of Nairobi hails from Kitutu Chache (larger- North and South) while Machogu is from Nyaribari ( larger- Chache and Masaba). Migosi had vied for a parliamentary seat in 2017 but lost to Jimmy Agwenyi.

Machogu, a former defunct provincial administrator picked Migosi as his running mate from the vote-rich Kitutu with over 100,000 votes in a bid to floor Arati, former Dagoretti North Member of Parliament, who hails from Bobasi constituency.  

Both Migosi and Machogu campaigned for the platform of empowering youths and women as per UDA’s manifesto but lost. 

On the other hand, Ruto won after defeating his closest rival, Raila Odinga, who vied through ODM under the Azimio la Umoja – One Kenya coalition.  

Congratulatory messages

Dr Jacob Kwaba, a council member of  Meru University of Science and Technology, has lauded the recent nomination of Migosi saying he knows the manifesto of the Kenya Kwanza government and will help the president realize it.

Further, Kwaba added that Migosi is an experienced lawyer and commended the Head of State for nominating him, saying, he has a good record and will deliver if parliament approves him.

“The nomination of Migosi from the Gusii community by the President is a sign that he has confidence in him and recognizes the community” Kwaba told People Daily Digital in Kisii town shortly after Ruto announced the first batch of eleven nominees.

In addition, Kwaba appealed to Ruto to mix elderly and middle-aged persons in his new cabinet, noting they would inject their expertise and experience and help him run the government smoothly.

He further requested the Head of State to create job opportunities to employ thousands of youths who graduate from colleges and universities to ease their suffering.

“The president is engaging Gen Z in dialogue so that he can address their plight. The youths are raising pertinent issues in their protests except few who take advantage to loot and destroy people’s properties,” Kwaba noted.

Racheal Otundo, a secretary at the Gusii Governance Watch Civil Society Organization, lauded Ruto for nominating Rebecca Miano, former Investment, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary as the Attorney General.

According to Rachael, the nomination of  Miano to the post of AG is a step in the right direction. She added that Miano’s nomination if approved by parliament will make her the first female AG since independence.

 “The nomination of women as cabinet Secretaries and the AG is a sign that the President recognizes the role of women. I urge him to make the appointments in the ratio of 50:50,” Otundo told People Daily Digital on phone.