President William Ruto has revoked the appointment of four Kenya Railways Corporation board members, with effect from January 8, 2024.
The four board members were the appointees of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
A notice by the president read, “I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, revoke the appointment of Mohammed Alawi Hussun, Dennis Aroka, Catherine Musakali, and Sumaiya Salim Mohamed as members of the Board of Directors of the Kenya Railways Corporation, with effect from January 8, 2024.”
Mohammed Alawi and Catherine Musakali were appointed on October 6, 2021, while Dennis Aroka and Sumaiya Salim were appointed on July 8, 2022 and July 13, 2022 respectively.
They all served as independent directors at the Kenya Railway Corporation.
Their departure is part of President William Ruto’s effort to streamline various critical service sectors in the country.
Ruto, however, did not name their replacements.
The changes come even as the Kenya Kwanza administration works towards privatising some state corporations.
On October 9, 2023, President William Ruto assented to the Privatisation Bill, 2023 and designated its commencement as October 27, 2023.
The Act repealed the Privatisation Act of 2005 and thereby introduced several provisions that allowed the privatisation of state corporations.
Some of those listed for privatisation included Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), Kenya Literature Bureau, National Oil Corporation, Kenya Seed Company Limited, Mwea Rice Mills, Western Kenya Rice Mills Limited, Kenya Pipeline Company, New Kenya Cooperative Creameries, Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers Limited, Rivatex East Africa Limited, and Numerical Machining Complex.
However, in December 2023, the High Court suspended the government’s move to privatise the state corporations following a case filed by the Orange Democratic Movement Party.
