Inside Ruto’s Ever-Expanding State House Jobs
President William Ruto’s recent appointments of former Cabinet
Secretaries Eliud Owalo and Moses Kuria as Deputy Chief of Staff, Performance and Delivery Management, and Senior Advisor, respectively, have expanded the list of key roles under the Executive Office of the President.
Additionally, Dennis Itumbi has been named Head of Creative Economy and Special Projects, adding another influential position within the presidency.
Prominent offices within the Executive Office of the President now include Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service, President’s Council of Economic Advisors, Secretary to the Cabinet, State House Comptroller, President’s Strategy and Execution Office, Secretary to the National Security Council and National Security Advisor, alongside the Offices of Women’s Rights and the Council of Climate Change Advisors.
Other critical roles encompass the Private Secretary to the President, Office of Fiscal Affairs and Budget Policy, Office of Economic Transformation, Minorities and Marginalized Affairs Unit, Head of the Presidential Communication Service, State House Spokesperson, and Office of the Government Spokesperson.
Moses Kuria revealed that his role within the President’s Council of Economic Advisors reflects the administration’s commitment to revitalizing Kenya’s struggling economy.
Kuria emphasized that his experience in shaping the Kenya Kwanza economic agenda during the 2022 elections will be instrumental in addressing the country’s economic challenges.
“I’m ready to help fix the economy. I played a key role in crafting the Kenya Kwanza Plan and coordinated performance and delivery across ministries. My rapport with CSs and PSs positions me well to steer the economy back on track,” said Kuria.
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The President’s new appointments suggest a revival of a role akin to the Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit under former President Uhuru Kenyatta, with Owalo now overseeing Performance and Delivery Management across all ministries and parastatals.
This portfolio was previously under Kuria during his tenure as Public Service, Performance & Delivery Management Cabinet Secretary.
With these changes, the State House now has two Deputy Chiefs of Staff, with Owalo joining Josephat Nanok, who was appointed in 2022.
State House Spokesperson Hussein Mohamed clarified to Nation Africa that while both Owalo and Nanok are deputies, their roles are distinct.
Mohamed detailed that Nanok’s responsibilities involve coordinating the President’s engagements, chairing advisory team meetings, and relaying outcomes to the Head of Public Service.
“He also coordinates the President’s meetings and ensures follow-through on resolutions,” said Mohamed.
On the other hand, Owalo’s duties will largely center on the implementation and timely delivery of key government projects.
Owalo’s office also bears the responsibility of institutionalizing performance contracts across ministries, state departments, and agencies.
The new position is intended to ensure effective communication of priority projects to the public, addressing a recognized gap in the government’s communication strategy, particularly evident during the youth-led protests over the withdrawn Finance Bill, 2024.
Under Kenyatta’s leadership, Nzioka Waita, as Deputy Chief of Staff and Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit, wielded significant influence in driving the execution of the Jubilee government’s manifesto and monitoring the performance of key parastatals.
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Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, in a circular announcing these appointments, highlighted that Owalo will oversee service delivery within government ministries, departments, and agencies.
“To support the Executive Office of the President, His Excellency has, with PSC approval, appointed Eliud Owalo EGH as Deputy Chief of Staff, Performance & Delivery Management,” Koskei stated.
“This appointment, which is at the ministerial level, includes overseeing the implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of priority projects and initiatives of the 5th administration as outlined in the BETA Plan,” he added.
Owalo’s office will be stationed at both State House and Harambee House, with a broad mandate to manage performance across ministries, state departments, and parastatals, ensuring the delivery of the Administration’s core priorities under the Bottom-Up Economic Agenda (BETA).
This role also encompasses oversight of the Public Service Performance Management Unit and the Government Delivery Unit (GDU).
Furthermore, Owalo will act as a Principal Deputy to Koskei, supporting him in managing government performance and project delivery.
“Guided closely by the President, I look forward to collaborating with all stakeholders to enhance government performance management, instill a results-oriented culture in public service, and ensure effective delivery of priority projects and programs aligned with BETA,” Owalo, a seasoned economist and performance management expert, commented.
Owalo’s tasks will include coordinating performance management by integrating performance contracts and efficiency monitoring across all ministries, state departments, and agencies.
Additionally, he will be responsible for creating and maintaining an effective delivery framework for executing the government’s development agenda and overseeing flagship projects under BETA.
He will also establish a performance evaluation system for top-tier officials, including Cabinet Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and State Corporation CEOs.
Inside Ruto’s Ever-Expanding State House Jobs
