Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa on Thursday announced changes to his cabinet as part of measures to improve service delivery and achieve his six-point transformational agenda.
Speaking at the County Headquarters, Governor Barasa said the deputy Governor Ayub Savula will also serve in an acting capacity as the County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Trade, Industrialization and Tourism.
In the office of the governor, Dr. Lawrence Omuhaka has been retained as the County Secretary and Head of Public Service.
Dr. Omuhaka will also serve in an acting capacity as the CECM for Finance, Economic Planning and Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) E-government and Communication.
Architect Patrick Kundu has been retained as the CECM for Roads, Energy and Public Works and will also serve in an acting capacity as the CECM for Lands, Housing Urban Areas and Physical planning.
The Governor announced Dr. Bonface Okoth as the CECM for Public Service and County Administration who will also act as the CECM for Education, Science and Technology.
Mrs. Peninah Mukabane has been retained as the CECM in the department of Water, Environment, Natural Resources and will also serve in an acting capacity as the CECM for Health Services.
Mophat Mandela has been retained as the CECM for Social Services, Culture, Gender, Youth, Sports and Library Services and will also serve in an acting capacity as the CECM for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives.
For the chief officers, Governor Barasa named Faith Gitira as the Chief Officer for Trade and Saxon Kweyu as the Chief Officer for Industrialization and Tourism both under the Department of Trade, Industrialization and Tourism to be headed by Ayub Savula.
In the office of the governor, CPA Samson Otieno will serve as the Deputy County Secretary, Dr. Vitalis Masakhwe as the Chief Officer, Service Delivery, Dr. George Barack Otieno as the Chief Officer, Resource Mobilization and Kennedy Echesa as Chief of Staff.
The governor under his office has also named Alfred Saidi Khasavuli as the Strategy and Governance Advisor, Kassim Were as Political Affairs Advisor, Christine Kimunguyi Osinde as Advisor Gender Affairs and Emmanuel Makokha as the Advisor for Youth Affairs.
In the Finance, Economic Planning and ICT department, Governor Barasa has announced the appointment of Dr. June Mwajuma as the Chief Officer for Finance and Budget who will also serve in an acting capacity as the Chief Officer for ICT, E-government and Communication.
Engineer Joseph Sweta will serve as the Chief Officer for Roads and Public Works while Pascal Were has been named as the Chief Officer for Public works.
Shakir Adan has been retained as the Chief Officer for Urban Development and Housing, and will also serve as the acting Chief Officer for Land Survey and Physical Planning.
In the Public Service and Administration docket, Prisca Otipa has been appointed as the Chief Officer for Public Service while Doreen Amwonga has been named as the Chief Officer Administration.
In the Education Docket, Mariam Were will serve as the Chief Officer for Education, Science and Technology and will act as the Chief Officer for Water.
Bill Silingi has been named as the Chief Officer Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change.
In the Health Sector, Governor Barasa announced the appointment of Dr. David Alilah as the chief officer medical services and Rose Muhanda as the chief officer Public Health.
Doreen Amwonga has also been appointed to serve as the Chief Officer for Social Services, Culture and Gender in an acting capacity while Saxon Kweyu will be acting as the Chief Officer for Youth, Sports and Library Services.
In the Agriculture sector, Emmanuel Kariuki will serve as the Chief Officer for Agriculture, Jeska Weku Wesonga as the Chief Officer for Livestock and Fisheries and Bill Silingi as the Chief Officer for Cooperatives.
The Governor asked staff in all the departments to accord the appointed CECMs and Chief officers the necessary cooperation to discharge their mandates as he assured that he will announce a complete complement of the Executive by early next year.
“For us to succeed we need a team that is agile, a team that is responsible, a team that is ready to run and even to work for 24 hours. We need people who are self-driven, people who are responsible to deliver on their mandate. We have a lot of expectations from people,” he noted.
By Moses Wekesa
