Ruto announces fresh State appointments

President William Ruto has made a new round of state appointments, naming John Cox Lorionokou as the Registrar of Political Parties for a six-year term.

According to a gazette notice issued Friday, October 3, Agatha Wanjiku Wahome has been appointed as assistant registrar for a similar six-year term. 

“I, William Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint John Cox Lorionokou to be the Registrar of Political Parties for a term of six (6) years,” read part of the gazette notice.

The post fell vacant after former registrar Anne Nderitu was appointed a commissioner at the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. Sophia Sitati has been serving in an acting capacity since July.

Ambassadors, High Commissioners

In the diplomatic corps, nine ambassadors, high commissioners, and consuls-general have also been appointed to Kenyan missions abroad after receiving parliamentary approval.

Former Labour Cabinet Secretary Florence Bore is the new High Commissioner to Namibia, while Public Service Commission chairperson Antony Muchiri will serve as Kenya’s ambassador to Turkey. 

Catherine Kirumba Karemu takes up the post of High Commissioner to Tanzania, with Ambassador Maurice Odhiambo replacing her in London.

Other postings include Joseph Musyoka to Saudi Arabia, Edwin Afande to Austria, Lucy Kiruthu to Thailand, and Abdirashid Salat Abdille to Indonesia. 

Henry Wambuma, Jayne Jepkorir, and Judy Nkumiri have been appointed to represent Kenya in the UAE and Goma, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo as consuls-general, respectively. 

New KNCHR Chairperson

Ruto has also appointed Claris Awuor Ogangah as chairperson of the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR) for a six-year term, filling the vacancy left after the death of Roseline Odhiambo Odede in January.

Her appointment comes after Dr. Duncan Oburu Ojwang’ declined his nomination to the commission in August, after rights groups challenged his selection in court, citing a requirement that the chair and vice chair be of different genders.