The National Assembly has approved nominees for Principal Secretaries alongside the two Cabinet Secretary nominees, Geoffrey Ruku and Hanna Wendot Cheptumo.

Among the Principal Secretary nominees approved by the National Assembly are Fikirini Jacobs, who was vetted to become the PS for Youth Affairs and Creative Economy, Carren Ageng’o, who was nominated for the position of PS Children Welfare Services, Carolyne Karugu, who was approved to be PS East African Community and Michael Lenasalon, who was approved to become PS for Devolution.

Speaking during the approval hearing in the National Assembly, Peter Lochakapong, who chairs the departmental committee on regional development, said the committee was satisfied with Lenasalon’s qualifications.

“This house approves the appointment of Michael Lenasalon as Principal Secretary in the State Department for Devolution,” Lochakapong noted.

Due process

“The committee paid due regard to the procedure used to arrive at the nominee through the report of the Public Service Commission. The committee also considered any constitutional or statutory requirements relating to the office in question and suitability of the nominee.”

Other PS nominees who were vetted earlier in April were Regina Ombam for the docket of PS Trade, Boniface Makokha, PS nominee for Economic Planning, Cyrell Wagunda, PS nominee for the State Department for Public Investments and Assets Management, Jane Imbunya, PS nominee for Public Service and Human Capital Development and Abdulrazak Shaukat, nominated for PS Science, Research, and Innovation.

The other PS nominees are Dr. Oluga Ouma, the PS nominee for Medical Services, Ahmed Ibrahim, nominated for National Government Coordination, Stephen Isaboke, nominated for Principal Secretary in the State Department for Broadcasting and Telecommunications and Aden Abdi, the nominee for Principal Secretary in the State Department for Shipping and Maritime Affairs.

Appointments

While the committees concluded the vetting for the nominees on April 7, 2025, the departmental committees retreated to discuss the suitability of each candidate for the position before tabling a report in the National Assembly plenary.

The nominees who have been approved by the National Assembly will have their names forwarded to President William Ruto for appointment.

The 14 nominees for the Principal Secretary position were nominated in a gazette notice by Ruto on March 20, 2025, when the head of state indicated that their appointments would serve to harness the opportunities within emerging sectors of the economy, as well as to address challenges affecting Kenya’s social fabric.

“Collectively, the changes seek to further accelerate the implementation of the administration’s seminal socio-economic blueprint, the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda,” Ruto said.