Uhuru unveils new Cabinet

Former Barclays Kenya CEO Adan Abdalla Mohamed who is the nominee for Cabinet Secretary of Industrialization 

President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced 12 additional nominees for Cabinet positions that included the surprise return of politicians defeated in the just ended general election.

Former Minister Charity Ngilu and Najib Balala were named as Cabinet Secretary nominees for Lands and Mining respectively.

The list also had the surprise inclusion of Raychelle Awuor Omamo as the nominee for Defence.

To ensure a smooth transition, President Kenyatta also named current Head of Public Service Mr Francis Kimemia as Secretary to Cabinet and former Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands Permanent Secretary Lawrence Lenayapa as State House Comptroller.

Fielding questions from journalists on the nominations, President Kenyatta said the remaining two Cabinet Secretary nominees will be known in due course.

On nomination of former legislators Ngilu and Balala, the President said the two will have to relinquish all political positions and team up with other Cabinet Secretaries to deliver on the Jubilee government development agenda for the country.

He said the Cabinet nominees reflected diverse faces of the nation and maintained gender parity and regional balance.

Here is a list of the full Cabinet:

1. Fred Matiang'i (Information, Communication and Technology (ICT),
2. Henry K. Rotich (The National Treasury)
3. James Wainaina Macharia (Health)
4. Amb Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs)
5. Adan Mohammed (Industrialisation)
6. Ann Waiguru (Devolution and Planning)
7. Davis Chirchir (Energy and Petroleum)
8. Amb. Raychelle Omamo (Defence)
9. Eng. Michael Kamau (Transport and Infrastructure)
10. Phyllis Chepkosgey (East African affairs, Commerce and Tourism)
11. Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi (Education)
12. Felix Kosgey (Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries)
13. Prof. Judy Wakhungu (Environment Water and Natural Resources)
14. Dr. Hassan Wario (Sports, Culture and Arts)
15. Najib Balala (Mining)
16. Charity Ngilu (Lands, Housing and Urban Development)
17. Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Services (Vacant)
18. Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government (Vacant)

12:04pm: Uhuru Kenyatta: The first task we shall set is to ensure that each of them comes up with a clear way as to how women and young are going to be mainstreamed in every ministry. There will be youth and women involved in every level of decision making.

12:02pm: Uhuru Kenyatta: I believe that we are a nation of equal opportunities. Ambassador Omamo has a wide experience in the diplomatic circles.

12:00: Uhuru Kenyatta: We have taken care to ensure we have reached all corners of the republic, to maintain gender balance. Its not possible to say that everybody will be able to be captured. The objective is to serve 40 m Kenyans in the best way we can.

11:59am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Our two colleagues (Balala and Ngilu) who stood with us during campaigns are not politicians and we have agreed with them that they will resign from all political positions and they will not involve themselves in politics.

11:58am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Yes, there are still two vacancies. We hope to fill them soon. We now want Parliament to start its role of vetting our list.

11:54am: Uhuru Kenyatta: In order to ensure a smooth transition, we will propose Francis Kimemia as Secretary to the Cabinet. I have also appointed Lawrence Lenayapa as State House Comptroller.

11:51am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Our next nominee is Honourable Charity Ngilu. She was first elected to Parliament in 1992. She is our nominee for Cabinet Secretary Land, Housing and Urban Development.

11:47am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Our next nominee is Najib Balala. He was first elected to Parliament in 2002. He is our nominee for Cabinet Secretary Mining.

11:47am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Next is Dr Hassan Wario. He was born in 1970 and hails from Marsabit county. Joined National Museum of Kenya in 1995 and has experience having worked for British Museum. Hassan is nominee for Cabinet Secretary Sports, Culture and Arts.

11:46am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Next is Judy Wakhungu. She is an energy adviser to the World Bank. She is the nominee for Cabinet Secretary Environment, Water and Natural Resources

11:43am; Uhuru Kenyatta: Our next nominee is Felix Kiptarus Kosgey. He is trained in implementing Public, Private partnerships. He is our nominee for Cabinet Secretary Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

11:41am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Next isProf Jacob Kaimenyi Born in 1952. He married with five children. 

Is currently a Vice Chairman at the University of Nairobi. He is the Cabinet Secretary Education

11:38am: Uhuru Kenyatta: The next nominee is Phyllis Chepkosgei Kandie She is married to Ambassador Kandie and are blessed with two children. She is the nominee for Cabinet Secretary East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism.

11:35am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Next isEngineer Michael S. Kamau. He has been in the civil service since 1981. Has been Permanent Secretary since 2007. He is our nominee for Cabinet Secretary Transport and Infrastructure.

11:33am: Uhuru Kenyatta: The next nominee isAmbassador Raychelle Awuor Omamo. She is a senior counsel and advocate of High Court for 27 years. She was the first female chairman of LSK. She is the nominee for Cabinet Secretary of Defence

11:30am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Our next nominee is Davis Chirchir. He previously served as a Commissioner in IEBC. He co-ordinated privatisation of Telkom Kenya and establishment of Safaricom. He is the nominee for Cabinet Secretary Energy and Petroleum

11:26am: Uhuru Kenyatta: Our next nominee is Anne Waiguru. She has specialised experience in public finance. She is a proud mother of three sons. She is the nominee for Secretary Devolution and Planning.

11:22am: Uhuru Kenyatta: The first individual Adan Abdalla Mohamed. He was born 1963 in Mandera and was CEO of Barclays Kenya. He worked for PWC in London, he is an MBA graduate in Harvard Business School and has five children. He is the nominee for Secretary of Industrialization.

11:20am: William Ruto: Apologies for delay. The President had some important appointment this morning... the chairperson of AU. Also he had a meeting on matters of the security with the Inspector General of Police.

11:15am: Presidential Press Service officials tell journalists that President Kenyatta's media briefing will start in 10 minutes.

10:55am: Nation reporter Isaac Ongiri says President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are still conducting interviews on potential Cabinet Secretary nominees.

10:30am: State House releases a photo of President Kenyatta meeting African Union Chairperson Nkosazana Dlamini.

10:15am: An hour after the promised 9am deadline, President Kenyatta emerges from State House to bid farewell to the African Union boss Nkosazana Dlamini.

9:30am: President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto keep Kenyans waiting on the names of their Cabinet Secretary nominees for the second consecutive day.

The two have reneged on their promise to unveil names of the Cabinet nominees by 9am Thursday.

9:00am: State House, Nairobi, the President's official residence, a beehive of activity, with senior government officials being sighted in the precincts.

Attorney General Githu Muigai and Police Inspector General David Kimaiyo are among government officials seen in the area alongside former IEBC Commissioner Davis Chirchir.

Journalists who camped at State House Nairobi on Thursday morning to cover the event were offered tea but with no explanation for the delay.

Television stations on Thursday lack the frenzy that had characterised Wednesday's media briefing by the President