President William Ruto has made several changes in the leadership of key parastatals, appointing new board chairpersons to serve in various health-related institutions.
In a gazette notice dated July 25, 2025, Ruto named Professor Fredrick Namenya Were as the new Chairperson of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council (KMPDC). He will serve a three-year term.
Prof. Were is a renowned specialist in Pediatrics and Child Health, with a focus on newborn medicine. He previously served as Chief Executive Director at the Kenya Paediatric Research Consortium (Keprecon) and was Head of Research at the University of Nairobi’s Department of Paediatrics.
His career includes senior roles in medical academia, including Dean of the School of Medicine and Acting Principal at the College of Health Sciences at the University of Nairobi. He also led the Kenya Paediatric Association for a decade and was part of the World Association of Perinatal Medicine committee between 2008 and 2011.
Prof. Were currently holds board roles in global health organizations such as the International Pediatric Association and the International Society of Tropical Pediatrics. He also serves as President of the Eastern African Paediatric Association and chairs the Oversight Committee for the Network for Education and Support in Immunisation.
Additionally, he has been a key advisor to the Ministry of Health on immunization and led the development of the National Immunization Policy and the Health Workers’ Guide to Vaccines. For his contribution to public health, he was awarded the Elder of the Order of the Burning Spear.
The appointment of Prof. Stanley Khainga as Chairperson of the KMPDC was revoked.
“I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint—Fredrick Namenya Were to be the Chairperson of the Kenya Medical Practitioners and Dentists Council, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 25th July, 2025. The appointment of Stanley Khainga (Prof.) is revoked,” the gazette notice reads.
In other appointments, Dr. Abbas Gullet was named Non-Executive Chairperson of the Board of Directors of Kenyatta National Hospital, while Dr. Samier Muravvej was appointed Non-Executive Chairperson of the National Syndemic Diseases Control Council.
Paul Ndung’u Kariuki was also appointed as Chairperson of the Kenya National Public Health Institute, replacing David Ndegwa Nyokabi whose appointment was revoked. Each of the new appointments will serve for a period of three years.
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