President Ruto’s Cabinet Nominations Trigger Three By-Elections

The nomination of elected leaders to President Ruto’s Cabinet has triggered by-elections for two parliamentary seats and one senatorial position.

On Tuesday, Ruto named three elected leaders to his 22-member cabinet including Elgeyo-Marakwet Senator Kipchumba Murkomen, Garissa Township MP Aden Duale, and Kandara MP Alice Wahome, leaving their seats vacant.

Murkomen was nominated as the Cabinet Secretary for Roads, Transport, and Public Works while Duale and Wahome were picked for Defense and Water Sanitation ministries respectively.

The three nominees successfully defended their seats in the August 9th general election under President Ruto’s United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party.

Murkomen, who formerly served as Senate Majority leader, has represented Elgeyo-Marakwet in the Senate since 2013. Duale, who served as National Assembly Majority Leader since 2013, has been an MP since 2007, while Wahome has served in the National Assembly for two terms.

Voters in Elgeyo-Marakwet County, Garissa Township and Kandara constituencies will go back to the ballot to replace the three.

Nominated Senator Soipan Tuya will also be replaced after she was nominated to Cabinet as the CS for Environment and Forestry.

The Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) is set to announce the dates when the by-elections will be held.