President William Ruto has expanded the mandate of three cabinet secretaries by reassigning them more dockets on Saturday, December 28.

PCS Musalia Mudavadi, who doubles as Foreign CS, will now handle the Information, Communication, and Digital Economy while Aden Duale, who is in charge of the Environment, will handle the Agriculture Ministry.

Salim Mvurya, who was transferred to the Sports docket, will also handle the Trade Ministry as the Cabinet continues to reposition itself.

In a press statement, Chief of Staff Felix Koskei explained that the changes were necessary to keep the executive running after changes effected by the Head of State before Christmas.

"Following the changes effected within Cabinet on December 19, 2024, and as the Cabinet Secretary nominees undergo the requisite parliamentary approval process, His Excellency the President has assigned acting Cabinet Secretaries to the vacant ministerial portfolios," read the notice in part.

"In that regard, it is notified that the Head of State and Government has pursuant to Article 152(5)(a) of the Constitution, assigned the vacant ministerial portfolios to the following Cabinet Secretaries in an acting capacity," the notice added.

The realignment follows the recent Cabinet reshuffle where Ruto nominated Mutahi Kagwe (Agriculture), Lee Kinyanjui(Trade), and William Kabogo(Information) as CSs pending parliamentary approval.

In the meantime, Mudavadi, Duale and Mvurya are set to steady the ship before the three leaders appear before a Parliamentary committee for vetting on January 14, 2025. The session with the Appointments Committee will begin at noon with former Health CS Kagwe, followed by Kabogo at 3 pm.

Former Nakuru Governor Kinyanjui's grilling session will begin at 5 pm rounding off the vetting of the three leaders.

The three, who are leaders allied to former President Uhuru Kenyatta are believed to be the results of a meeting between Uhuru and his predecessor Ruto, dubbed the 'Ichaweri Summit'. Political observers pointed to the meeting as Ruto co-opted Uhuru into his administration to form a 'super broad-based government'.   

This was after the inclusion of leaders allied to Raila Odinga in the aftermath of the July-August Gen Z protests that triggered the formation of a broad-based government. Ruto defended the move to nominate Uhuru's allies terming it as a great step towards fostering unity amongst Kenyans.

While speaking during a past church service at AIC Kipkorgot in Uasin Gishu, he expressed confidence in the nominees, emphasizing that they would play a crucial role in helping the government address critical issues affecting Kenyans.