Parliament Approves Geoffrey Ruku and Hanna Cheptumo as New Cabinet Secretaries
The National Assembly has officially approved the appointment of Geoffrey Ruku and Hanna Cheptumo as new Cabinet Secretaries for Public Service and Gender, respectively.
Their approval came after a thorough vetting process by the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments, which is chaired by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula. The vetting session took place on Monday, April 14.
President William Ruto had nominated Ruku and Cheptumo on March 26 to take over from former Cabinet Secretaries Justin Muturi and Aisha Jumwa. The nominations were part of recent changes made within the Cabinet.
During their appearance before the committee, both nominees faced intense questioning from lawmakers, who evaluated their qualifications, experience, and readiness to handle key national challenges.
Geoffrey Ruku was the first to be vetted and used the opportunity to express his dedication to public service, emphasizing that his priority would be to protect the rights and welfare of all Kenyans working in government institutions.
He passionately spoke about the urgent need to reform the public service sector, especially by tackling corruption, which he said is one of the biggest obstacles to Kenya’s development.
“If approved, I will serve all Kenyans equally—whether they are in Turkana, Mandera, or any other corner of this nation. My goal is to ensure public services are delivered fairly and efficiently, without any bias,” Ruku told the committee.
He further noted that corruption costs the country billions of shillings, not only due to outright theft but also because of slow investigations and delayed prosecutions, which allow the problem to persist.
When asked about the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), Ruku raised concerns about bribery, claiming that the practice often prevents deserving teachers from being promoted.
He pledged to address this issue and push for a fairer system where merit takes priority over connections or money.
Meanwhile, Hanna Cheptumo, who was also vetted on the same day, committed to fighting Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and preserving Kenya’s cultural identity in a modern and inclusive way.
She emphasized that ending harmful traditional practices such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and early marriages would be one of her top priorities.
Cheptumo said she plans to work closely with community elders, religious leaders, and civil society groups to raise awareness and encourage change at the grassroots level.
She also proposed the creation of gender desks in police stations, but with a twist—she suggested moving them to hospitals instead, so that GBV survivors can receive both medical and emotional support in a safe and welcoming environment.
“I want to make sure there are more programs available to support survivors of GBV. We also need to include GBV education in school syllabuses so that children grow up learning about respect, equality, and the importance of protecting others,” Cheptumo said.
Now that the National Assembly has given its approval, both Ruku and Cheptumo are waiting for formal appointment by President Ruto. Once that is done, they will be sworn into office on a date that will be announced soon.
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