President William Ruto presided over the swearing-in ceremony of Geoffrey Ruku and Hanna Cheptumo as Cabinet Secretaries at State House on Thursday, April 17.
The two were appointed to lead the Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes and the Ministry of Gender, Culture, The Arts and Heritage, respectively.
The ceremony was attended by senior government officials, including Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and Majority Leaders Kimani Ichung'wah (National Assembly) and Aaron Cheruiyot (Senate) among others.
The swearing-in ceremony followed their appointments through a Gazette Notice on Wednesday, April 16.
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“In exercise of the powers conferred by Article 152 (2) of the Constitution of Kenya, I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Hanna Wendo Cheptumo, Geoffrey K. Kiniga Ruku, to be Cabinet Secretaries of the Government of the Republic of Kenya, with effect from the 17th April, 2025,” the gazette notice read.
Notably, the appointments came after their approval by the National Assembly.
In a report released on Tuesday, April 15, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula said the nominees were found suitable for the roles after undergoing approval hearings.
“Having considered the suitability of the nominees for appointment during the approval hearings pursuant to Article 152(2) of the Constitution and sections 3 and 8 of the Public Appointments (Parliamentary Approval) Act, and Standing Order 204(4) of the National Assembly Standing Orders, the Committee recommends that the House approves—(1) Hon. Geoffrey K. Kiringa Ruku for appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes; and (2) Ms. Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, for appointment as Cabinet Secretary for Gender, Culture, The Arts and Heritage,” the report read.
Ruku, the former Member of Parliament for Mbeere North, steps into the role previously held by Justin Muturi, who was dismissed following a fallout with Ruto.
During his vetting, Ruku faced scrutiny over his support for controversial bills, including the Anti-Corruption and Economic Crimes Bill and the Assembly and Demonstration Bill.
He defended his stance, emphasizing his commitment to protecting public resources and balancing citizens’ rights.
"The Assembly and Demonstration Bill does not limit the right to demonstrate. What it aims to do is protect those who are not participating in the protests. No life should be lost because of demonstrations; no property should be destroyed," he said.
On the other hand, Cheptumo, a lawyer and widow of the late Baringo Senator William Cheptumo, takes the helm of the Gender docket which has been vacant since Aisha Jumwa’s dismissal in July 2024.
Cheptumo’s nomination fulfills a promise made by President Ruto during her late husband’s burial on March 1, 2025, to honor his legacy by offering her a significant role.
Following her vetting, she faced criticism for remarks linking femicide to women’s financial dependency, which most people deemed insensitive.
Cheptumo later apologized, noting that she would be prioritising strategies to end femicide during her tenure as Gender CS.
"Kenyan women deserve to be protected under any and all circumstances. Femicide, Gender-based violence and all other forms of discrimination on the basis of gender must be dealt with critically and carefully.
"I want every mother, father and child - every Kenyan - to know they can count on me to articulate these issues on their behalf, and with accountability," read part of her statement.
