End of an era for Francis Kimemia

Kenya: Francis Kimemia is the biggest casualty of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reshuffle after he was replaced as Secretary to the Cabinet.

In the changes announced Friday evening, the President nominated Amb. Dr Monica Juma as Kimemia’s replacement.

Kimemia stepped aside after his name featured in the Ethics and Anti-corruption Commission (EACC) corruption list.

After the list was released, President Uhuru directed all government officials mentioned in EACC report to step aside to allow investigations into allegations facing them.

He is accused of misappropriating Sh1 billion in 2006 when he was the Permanent Secretary of Interior Security Ministry.

But while appearing before the anti-graft committee at Integrity Centre last week, Kimemia denied the graft claims and urged EACC to expedite the probe.

He further alleged that the accusations were a ploy to malign his name and tarnish his image in the public.

Kimemia was the Head of Public Service during the tenure of former President Mwai Kibaki. He was appointed the Secretary to the Cabinet to aid in the transition from Kibaki to Uhuru’s regime.

In other changes to the military and government, Uhuru appointed Gen Samson Mwathethe as the new Chief of the Defence Forces (CDF) to replace Gen Julius Karangi.

Lt-Gen Leonard M Ngondi is the new Kenya Army Commander while Lt-Gen Joseph Kasaon has been appointed Vice Chief of the Defense Forces .

The President also nominated Eugene Wamalwa as Cabinet Secretary for the newly created Ministry of Water and Irrigation Services.

He at the same time, nominated Retired Major-General Gordon Kihalangwa nominated for the position of Principal Secretary, Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government.

Mr. Nzioka Waita was appointed as Secretary of Delivery in the Executive Office of the President.

The National Assembly is expected to vet the nominees.

Biography of Amb. Dr. Monica Juma, the newly appointed Secretary to the Cabinet

She served as Principal Secretary for Interior, having been transferred from the Ministry of Defence. Prior to being appointed Principal Secretary, Amb. Juma was Kenya's Ambassador Extra-Ordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, the Republic of Djibouti and Permanent Representative to the African Union, Inter- Governmental Authority on Development (lGAD) and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).

Amb. Dr. Juma has served as the Executive Director at the Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA), Pretoria, where she led policy research on African Affairs.

Previously, Ambassador Juma also served as Executive Director at the Africa Policy Institute (API), Nairobi where she is currently a Senior Fellow; as a Senior Policy Analyst at the Safer Africa, Pretoria; and as a Research Associate at the International Peace Institute, New York.

She was also Lecturer in Politics and Research Director at the Centre for Refugee Studies, Moi University, Kenya; and Management Analyst at the Office of the President, Republic of Kenya. Amb.

Dr. Juma holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Oxford, Master of Arts (MA) and Bachelor of Arts (BA) from the University of Nairobi and Certificate in Refugees Studies from Oxford University.