President William Ruto has effected changes in the State Department leadership, reassigning Principal Secretaries Kello Harsama and Dr Caroline Karugu in a move aimed at filling a leadership gap in the Ministry of Energy following the resignation of the former Petroleum Principal Secretary.
In a special notice released on Wednesday, May 28, President Ruto announced that Harsama has been moved from the State Department for Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASALs) and Regional Development to the State Department for Petroleum.
At the same time, Dr Caroline Karugu has been appointed Acting Principal Secretary for ASALs and Regional Development, while continuing in her current role as Principal Secretary for East African Community Affairs.
“The re-assignments are intended to fill the vacancy arising from the resignation of the immediate former Principal Secretary for the State Department for Petroleum and to ensure continuity in the administration and coordination of Government functions within the affected State Departments,” the statement read.
The changes follow the resignation of Mohamed Liban, the former Petroleum Principal Secretary, who stepped down after his arrest and subsequent investigations linked to alleged irregularities in a fuel procurement and importation scandal.
Former Petroleum PS Liban, ex-KPC MD Joe Sang, and former EPRA DG Daniel Kiptoo were arrested and released from police custody days after being implicated in a controversial fuel importation scandal.
The trio was released on Monday, April 6, on police bail pending further investigation and subsequent arraignment, although it remains unclear whether charges will be pursued against them.
According to their lawyers, who spoke to the media, the embattled former government officials had no wrongdoing in the Sh4.8 billion scandal. The legal team reiterated the officials were simply acting on recommendations from the National Security Council Committee (NSCC) issued on March 9.
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