Newly-appointed Ministers yesterday attended their inaugural Cabinet Meeting at State House Nairobi during which President William Ruto warned them against corruption. 

The president, who was holding his first cabinet meeting since the CSs were sworn in, told them to make the people of Kenya their first priority and serve them with honour and respect by maintaining integrity and good morals.

“I call on those selected to serve in the cabinet to focus on the implementation of programmes and policies that will transform the lives of Kenyans and move the country forward. Let us not waste this golden opportunity,” Ruto said during the meeting.

It was the first time that the four opposition members appointed to the cabinet sat in the meeting they include John Mbadi (National Treasury), Ugunja MP James Opiyo Wandayi (Energy), former Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho (Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs) and former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives and MSMEs Development).

Mbadi who spoke on behalf of the new Cabinet members said they were ready to work for Kenyans and that they will support the president in achieving the government agenda.

“We will work as a team both in cabinet and our individual ministries, we will strive to achieve what is expected of us,” Mbadi assured.

Accomplish  tasks

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua told the CSs that the work ahead of them is of huge magnitude and urged them to work as a team so as to accomplish what is expected of them.

Gachagua also called on the cabinet members to work as a team and friends saying events leading to the changes in government showed that anything can happen in the country.

The meeting was also attended by all the Principal Secretaries (PSs) even as they prepared for the impending purge.

President Ruto is said to be planning a reshuffle of the PSs anytime where he is expected to drop some of them and merge some dockets. The Head of state is also committed to establish a formidable team which will forge the way forward in realizing his ambitious promises to Kenyans.

Ruto was forced to dismiss his previous Cabinet following demands by youths who accused them of corruption and lack of commitmentFollowing the purge, ten members of the cabinet were sworn the door and replaced by among others, four members drawn from the opposition.

Only eight members of the former cabinet were reinstated despite calls for the sacking of the full team by the protesting youths. Ruto maintains that the broad-based government approach will help unite Kenyans and bolster his transformation agenda.

President Ruto called on the CSs and the PCs to honour the profound privilege to serve in Cabinet with dutiful service to Kenyans.

“In our hands lies the destiny of a Nation, the hopes and dreams of her People and the power to positively impact the lives of generations of Kenyans,” he said.

The President reminded the CSs that being members of Cabinet comes with high responsibility and culpability.