President William Ruto has reshuffled Principal Secretaries in a mini reorganisation that appears aimed at plugging the gap left after the exit of former Petroleum PS Mohamed Liban.
In changes announced Thursday evening through a presidential notification signed by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, PS Kello Harsama was moved from the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development to the influential Petroleum docket.
At the same time, East African Community PS Dr Caroline Karugu was handed additional responsibilities as Acting PS for ASALs and Regional Development.
State House said the changes were meant to ensure continuity and smooth coordination of government functions following the vacancy in the Petroleum department.
The reshuffle now places Harsama at the centre of one of the government’s most sensitive sectors at a time when Kenya is pushing major energy and oil related programmes, including renewed focus on fuel stability, petroleum infrastructure and the long delayed Turkana oil project.
Harsama, a former Isiolo gubernatorial aspirant and seasoned administrator, now takes over a docket that has recently attracted heightened public attention over fuel prices, supply concerns and reforms in the energy sector.
Meanwhile, Karugu’s expanded role quietly strengthens her growing profile within government.
The technocrat has been serving as PS for East African Community Affairs and now assumes oversight of the ASALs department in an acting capacity, a key office that handles development programmes in arid and semi arid regions.
The latest changes come just weeks after President Ruto effected other senior government reorganisations as he seeks tighter coordination within his administration amid mounting political and economic pressure.
