ADVERT 
President William Ruto has ordered a swift reshuffle of Principal Secretaries in a decisive bid to steady government operations following a high-stakes resignation that has rocked the energy sector.
In a statement released Thursday, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said the changes were necessitated by the departure of Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban, whose exit comes amid intensifying investigations into a multi-billion-shilling fuel importation and procurement scandal.
Koskei emphasized that the reassignments are aimed at sealing leadership gaps and safeguarding continuity across affected state departments.
“The re-assignments are intended to fill the vacancy… and ensure continuity in the administration and coordination of Government functions,” the statement read.
In the shake-up, Kello Harsama has been redeployed from the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development to take charge of the sensitive Petroleum docket—placing him at the centre of one of the government’s most scrutinised sectors.
Meanwhile, Caroline Karugu, the current Principal Secretary for East African Community (EAC) Affairs, has been handed additional responsibilities as Acting PS for ASALs and Regional Development, in a move that underscores the administration’s reliance on experienced technocrats during turbulent times.
The changes take immediate effect.
Liban’s resignation follows his arrest and mounting pressure from ongoing probes into alleged irregularities in fuel supply data management and the controversial authorisation of emergency fuel imports.
The unfolding scandal has deepened scrutiny within the energy sector, already reeling from the recent exits of key figures including former Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) Director General Daniel Kiptoo and former Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Managing Director Joe Sang.
Despite the widening crisis, Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi distanced himself from the circumstances surrounding the resignations.
“As to why the officers resigned, I cannot say… What I know is that investigations are ongoing,” Wandayi said.
He maintained that resignations are voluntary and may not necessarily be publicly explained.
The reshuffle signals growing urgency within the Ruto administration to restore order and public confidence in a sector critical to Kenya’s economic stability.
With investigations still underway, attention now turns to whether the latest changes will deliver accountability—or further expose systemic cracks within government operations.
For now, the message from State House is clear: stability cannot wait.
