President Uhuru Kenyatta has instituted portfolio re-assignments in his Cabinet and the ranks of the Principal Secretaries as he demoted Deputy President William Ruto's men.

Uhuru on Wednesday made the changes that take effect immediately as he moved Ruto ally Charles Keter from the energy docket to the a reduced Ministry of Devolution.

On the other hand, Simon Chelugui has also lost some clout after his Ministry of Labour and Social Protection was reconstituted and renamed the Ministry of Labour.

The State Department for Social Protection, Pensions and Senior Citizens was transferred to the Ministry of Public Service and Gender, moving with it billions of shillings in annual budget. 

The new portfolio responsibilities and changes made by the President in the structure of government include the transfer of functions and reconstitution of ministries, reassignment of cabinet secretaries and reassignment of principal secretaries.

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The following cabinet secretaries have been reassigned:

  1. Amb. (Dr.) Monica Juma - Ministry of Energy.
  2. Hon. Charles Keter - Ministry of Devolution.
  3. Hon. Eugene Wamalwa - Ministry of Defence.
  4. Prof. Margaret Kobia - Ministry of Public Service, Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs & Special Programmes

Likewise, the following Principal Secretaries have also been reassigned:

  1. Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Gordon O. Kihalangwa - State Department for Energy.
  2. (Eng.) Joseph K. Njoroge - State Department for Transport.
  3. Solomon Kitungu - State Department for Public Works.
  4. Nelson Marwa Sospeter - State Department for Social Protection, Senior Citizens Affairs & Special Programmes.

In the changes, transfer of functions and reconstruction of ministries have been done as follows: 

  1. The State Department for ASALs has been transferred to the Ministry of Public Service & Gender;
  2. The State Department for Social Protection, Pensions and Senior Citizens has been transferred to the Ministry of Public Service & Gender;
  3. The Department of Special Programmes is transferred to the State Department for Social Protection, Pensions and Senior Citizens Affairs; which State Department is renamed as the State Department for Social Protection, Senior Citizens Affairs and Special Programmes;
  4. The Ministry of Devolution & The ASALs has been reconstituted and renamed as the Ministry of Devolution;
  5. The Ministry of Public Service & Gender has been reconstituted and renamed as the Ministry of Public Service, Gender, Senior Citizens Affairs & Special Programmes;   
  6. The Ministry of Labour & Social Protection has been reconstituted and renamed the Ministry of Labour.

The adjustments have been made to promote enhanced operational efficiency, institutionalize the implementation of various ongoing ground-breaking reforms, better orientate portfolio responsibilities with both national development plans and the needs of citizens.

It will also introduce functional changes that will make the relevant ministries and State Departments more efficient and better able to deliver better services to the public.