President William Ruto has revoked the appointment of Millicent Omanga as member of the of the Nairobi Rivers Commission.
In a gazette notice dated October 28, Ruto named Josephat Sagero as the replacement of Omanga.
“Exercise of the powers conferred on me by the Constitution and the Laws of the Republic of Kenya, 1, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Josephat Abaga Fan Sagero to be a member of the Nairobi Rivers Commission, for a term of three (3) years renewable once based on performance,” read part of the notice.
“The appointment of Omanga Millicent is revoked pursuant to section 51 of the Interpretation and General Provisions Act.”
Millicent Omanga Declines Appointment by Ruto
On Saturday, October 26, the former nominated Senator expressed gratitude to President William Ruto for the recent appointment offer but respectfully declined it due to personal reasons.
“I’m deeply honoured and grateful to William Ruto for the trust you’ve shown in appointing me to serve on the Nairobi Rivers Commission. It’s truly a privilege to be considered for such a vital role in improving our beloved Nairobi’s environment and public health,” Omanga said.
“After careful consideration, I must respectfully decline the appointment due to personal reasons. I remain committed to supporting efforts aimed at restoring Nairobi’s rivers & stand ready to contribute to any capacity that aligns with my current commitments. Thank you once again for this honour and for the consideration.”
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Ruto, in a gazette notice dated October 25, had appointed Omanga alongside Bishop Margaret Wanjiru who was appointed as the Nairobi Rivers Commission Chairperson for a period of three years.
Sagero will join other members including Dr. Mumo Musuva, Grace Senewa Mesopirr, John Kioli, Eva Muhia, Amos Chege Mugo, Carlotta Dalago, Rael Chebichii Lelei, Benjamin Langwen, and Charles Karisa Dadu.
The Bishop Wanjiru-led Commission has been tasked with extensive terms of reference, including reclaiming Nairobi’s rivers and building on past initiatives.
This entails reviewing previous reports on Nairobi River restoration and integrating valuable lessons into its new strategy.
The Commission will also conduct a comprehensive assessment of current and future challenges facing the rivers, aiming to address root causes and restore the Nairobi Basin’s ecological health.
As part of its mandate, the Commission will establish the Nairobi Rivers Basin Regeneration Program (NABREP) to rejuvenate the Basin and its infrastructure, with the ultimate goal of fostering a safe, inclusive, and healthy environment that enhances socio-economic opportunities in the region.
Funding for the Commission will come from allocations by the National Government and Nairobi City County Government, along with donations and endowments dedicated to implementing NABREP.
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Rise of Omanga
Millicent Omanga rose to prominence in 2013 when she was appointed a director at KenGen, a position she held until 2017.
This was before she ventured into politics when she vied for the Nairobi Women Representative position in which she lost to Esther Passaris of the ODM Party.
After losing the elections, Millicent was nominated to the Senate by Jubilee Party, a position she held until 2022.
Omanga in the 2022 polls again attempted her luck at the Nairobi Women Representative position under United Democratic Alliance (UDA) Party but still lost to Passaris.
She was recently shortlisted among candidates for the position of member of the Commission of Administrative Justice (CAJ)- Office of the Ombundsman.
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