Photos: Ruto chairs Cabinet meeting in Mombasa

President William Ruto chairing the Cabinet meeting at State House, Mombasa. [PCS]

President William Ruto is chairing his first Cabinet meeting at State House, Mombasa.

The Standard has established that nearly all the Cabinet Secretaries are in attendance with the majority dressed casually while braving the heavy downpour in Mombasa County.

The CSs were captured arriving at Mombasa’s State House in the cover of umbrellas to shield themselves from the rains. A few dressed down with most opting for linen attires and Kanzus, unlike the other meetings where they whip out dominant trouser and skirt suits. 

Environment CS Soipan Tuya (left) and EAC, Arid, and Semi-Arid Lands and Regional Development CS Penina Malonza arrive at State House, Mombasa for a Cabinet meeting. [PCS]

The Cabinet Secretaries kept time. The Standard has since established that by 8:15 am, Friday, November 3, they had all gathered for the meeting chaired by the president, who was donned his usual Kaunda suit.

The agenda of today’s meeting is yet to be known and comes a day after President Ruto issued Executive Order No.2 where his advisor Adan Mohamed was named Chief of Strategy Execution. Mohamed previously served as a member of the President's Council of Economic Advisors.

"The Executive Order No. 2 of 2023 supersedes Executive Order No. 1 of 2023 issued on January 6, 2023," read the circular released yesterday by Head of Public Service Felix Koskei.

Defence CS Aden Duale (left) and Sports CS Ababu Namwamba brave the rains to attend Cabinet meeting in Mombasa. [PCS}

Under the same Executive Order, the office of the Government Spokesperson was moved from the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy to the office of the President.

"The review and re-organization of government is necessary to embed operational enhancements and functional changes to make Ministries, State Departments, State Agencies, and Kenya’s Foreign Service optimize performance.” 

Transport CS Kipchumba Murkomen takes cover under an umbrella. [PCS]

Time Keeping

The Head of State is said to have become strict on timekeeping, an example being in early August this year, when CS Moses Kuria and his Interior counterpart Kithure Kindiki were locked out of a State House meeting for lateness.

The two plus several Principal Secretaries were later denied signing their performance contracts over lateness.

Previously, Ruto has chaired the Cabinet meetings at the Kakamega State Lodge, Kisumu, Sagana in Nyeri County, and now Mombasa.