NAIROBI, Kenya Sep 29 – President Uhuru Kenyatta reshuffled his Cabinet Wednesday, sending Eugene Wamalwa to the Defence Ministry where he will replace Monica Juma.
Juma was taken to the Energy Ministry to take over from Charles Keter who is the new Devolution Cabinet Secretary, a post previously held by Wamalwa.
The changes were announced by State House Spokeswoman Kanze Dena.
Also moved from the Energy Ministry is Principal Secretary Joseph Njoroge who has been replaced by Gordon Kihalangwa.
Njoroge was re-assigned duties at the Transport Ministry.
Solomon Kitungu is the new Principal Secretary at the State Department for Public Works while Nelson Marwa remains PS for State Department Social Protection, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programmes which was transferred to the Ministry of Public Service and Gender.
“The changes take effect immediately,” the State House statement said.
Keter’s exit from the energy docket came hours after President Kenyatta received a report submitted by a presidential taskforce on review of power purchase agreements he appointed in March, which recommended wide-ranging reforms to bring down the cost of electricity.
“The consequence of the proposed interventions is that a consumer who previously spent Sh500 per month on electricity shall by December 31, 2021 pay Sh330 per month,” a statement released by the President’s Press Office indicated.
“This cost reduction will be achieved through the reduction of the consumer tariffs from an average of Sh24 per kilowatt hour to Sh16 per kilowatt hour which is about two thirds of the current tariff,” State House elaborated.
The taskforce chaired by John Ngumi, Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Pipeline Company, also recommended the cancellation of all un-concluded power purchase agreements.
