President William Ruto has appointed and reassigned Principal Secretaries in a fresh administrative shake-up within government.
The changes, made following the resignation in the State Department for Petroleum, are aimed at ensuring continuity and strengthening coordination across key state departments.
In a press statement dated May 28, 2026, Public Service Chief of Staff Henry Koskei announced the fresh appointments.
“HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT has this afternoon, pursuant to Article 155(4) of the Constitution, effected re-assignments within the rank of Principal Secretaries. THE RE-ASSIGNMENTS are intended to fill the vacancy arising from the resignation of the immediate former Principal Secretary for the State Department for Petroleum and to ensure continuity in the administration and coordination of Government functions within the affected State Departments, read the statement.
Ruto Reassigns Principal Secretaries in Fresh Government Shake-Up
The appointment follows earlier resignations by Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director General, Daniel Kiptoo, and Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, and Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director Joe Sang in April after the petroleum scandal.
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The appointments include:
- Kello Harsama – Principal Secretary, State Department for Petroleum.
- Caroline Karugu – Acting Principal Secretary for the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development.
Kello Harsama Moved to Petroleum Docket
Before the appointment, Harsama served as Principal Secretary for ASALs and Regional Development, overseeing government programs focused on drought resilience, food security, humanitarian response, and infrastructure development in arid and semi-arid areas.
He had also been involved in the implementation of regional development projects under basin authorities and national drought response initiatives.
Prior to joining the ASALs docket, Harsama held various senior administrative roles in the public service, including serving as County Commissioner in Kajiado and as Secretary Administration in the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
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Caroline Karugu Gets Additional Acting Role
Caroline Karugu has been designated as Acting Principal Secretary for the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development in addition to her current role as Principal Secretary for East African Community (EAC) Affairs.
Karugu has been serving as Principal Secretary for EAC Affairs, a position in which she has represented Kenya in regional integration meetings, East African Community policy discussions, and cross-border cooperation engagements involving partner states.
She has previously led Kenya’s participation in regional coordination efforts linked to CHAN and AFCON 2027 preparations.
Her additional acting assignment now places her in charge of overseeing programmes related to ASALs development and regional authorities while still retaining her EAC Affairs portfolio.
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