On Wednesday, President William Ruto announced the nomination of former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya as the new Cabinet Secretary for Cooperatives and MSMEs.
The nomination is part of a broader cabinet reshuffle unveiled at State House, Nairobi.
Oparanya, who retired from his role as Kakamega governor in 2022 after serving two terms, will replace Simon Kiprono Chelugui in this key position.
Known for his significant contributions to Kenyan politics, Oparanya served as the chairperson of the Council of Governors from 2018 to 2021 and is a prominent figure from Western Kenya.
In addition to his governorship, Oparanya has been actively involved in national politics as the chairperson of the National Coalition Executive Council and Chairman of the Azimio la Umoja One Kenya Coalition party, led by Raila Odinga.
He is also one of the deputy party leaders of ODM, alongside former Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.
