Mutua Reveals What Ruto Did to Him After Cabinet Reshuffling

Newly-appointed Tourism Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua has said that he is looking forward to taking the ministry to greater heights.

Mutua was moved from the Foreign and Diaspora Affairs docket to the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife.

Speaking on Thursday in Turkana during the opening ceremony of the Turkana Cultural Festival, the CS reacted to the reshuffle.

“The time you (President Ruto) placed me on the football pitch to play when I was the CS for Foreign Affairs I was on the left wing. I visited many countries and I witnessed that people don’t know Kenya is a tourism nation,” he said.

He added that the President had just placed him in the right place to streamline the ministry.

“You have removed CS Aisha Jumwa from Gender ministry where she was playing full-back and now you’ve placed her in the midfield and placed me in the right wing. From there, we shall  work together to improve tourism.”

Some seven other cabinet members were also affected by the last week’s reshuffle.

They include Alice Wahome to the Ministry of Lands, Zacharia Njeru to the Ministry of Water, Peninah Malonza to the Ministry of East African Community, ASALs and Regional Developments. 

Others are Aisha Jumwa under the Ministry of Gender, Culture, Arts and Heritage, and Moses Kuria was moved from the Ministry of Investment, Trade and Industry to the Ministry of Public Service Performance, and Delivery Management. 

CS Mutua said that marketing is the main problem that drags tourism behind.

He said Kenya must market the country as a rich tourism destination to attract more tourists to the country, which will in return create employment for youths.

Mutua is in the county for the Turkana Tourism and Cultural Festival scheduled from 12 to 14 October.

Turkana Governor Jeremiah Lomorukai said the festival is meant to promote peaceful coexistence among the Ateker communities.

The Ateker communities include Turkana, Iteso of Kenya, Karamoja, Jie of Uganda Topsa of South Sudan and Nyangatom, Merile from Ethiopia.