Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) chairperson Wafula Chebukati’s wife Mary Chebukati Wanyonyi is among those shortlisted for the positions of Principal Secretaries (PS) by the Public Service Commission (PSC).
Some of the PSs that made it to the nomination list worked in Uhuru Kenyatta’s Government.
They include Charles Hinga (Housing), Francis Owino (Agriculture), Jerome Ochieng (ICT), Esther Koimett (Broadcasting and Telecommunications), Peter Kaberia (Industrialization), Julius Jwan (Education), Saitoti Torome (Planning), and Nelson Marwa (Social Protection).
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Mercy Mwangangi and Director General for Health Dr Patrick Amoth also made it to the list.
Some of the nominees considered Ruto’s allies were also on the list. Former Lang’ata MP Nixon Korir made it to the list.
Korir lost to ODM’s Felix Oduor alias Jalang’o who garnered 38, 948 votes while Mr. Korir who was defending his seat for a second term on United Democratic Alliance (UDA) polled 36,836 votes.
Other August election aspirants whose names appeared on the nominee list include Chris Wamalwa, who was eyeing the Trans Nzoia gubernatorial seat on Ford Kenya.
Dr Wamalwa lost to Governor George Natembeya who vied on the Democratic Action Party of Kenya (DAP-K).
Mr. Natembeya received 158,919 votes, and his competitor Dr Wamalwa came in second with 79,020 votes.
Former Narok Governor Samuel Tunai who vied for the senatorial seat on UDA and lost to ODM’s Ledama Olekina has also been shortlisted.
Mr. Tunai got 117, 869 votes against 135, 180 votes of Senator Olekina.
Other key figures that made the nomination list are Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) Managing Director Bernard Njiraini, Prof Thomas Kipkurgat (Rivatex), Sammy Naporos (Kerio Valley Development Authority), Nixon Sigey (New KCC), Charles Ringera (Helb), Prof Laban Ayiro (Vice Chancellor Daystar), Browne Kustwa (Communication PSC) and Bernard Ngugi (former Kenya Power boss).
The 477 candidates out of 9,154 applicants who had shown interest in the vacant posts, will be interviewed by PSC as of October 12. Names of successful applicants with them be submitted to Ruto for nomination.
The PSC said the interviews will be held from October 12 to 22, 2022.
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