Tourism Cabinet Secretary (CS) Najib Balala has made a strategic job application to President-elect William Ruto, saying he is ready to serve his government if he is appointed.
Mr Balala, a minister since 2003 when President Mwai Kibaki came to power, said that while it was the new President’s discretion to decide who to appoint, he was ready to continue serving.
I am happy and humbled and I thank President Kenyatta for giving me the chance to serve the nation and I welcome President Ruto and I am ready to serve in his government whenever it’s necessary,” the CS said.
He spoke when he released a report on the performance of Kenya’s tourism sector between January and August, stating his ministry had initiated reforms that could be concluded under the new administration.
Mr Balala has been Tourism CS since 2015, before which he was minister for Mining from 2013 to 2015, at the start of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s reign.
In Kibaki’s government, Mr Balala was minister for Gender, Sports, Culture and Social Services from 2003 to 2004 before moving to national heritage and culture between 2004 and 2005.
In Kibaki’s second term in 2008, Mr Balala became minister for Tourism, serving until 2012 when Mr Kibaki retired. He has been a minister through two administrations spanning 20 years.
“I know by Tuesday we will cease being ministers because Uhuru’s government will cease on Tuesday and Ruto’s government will start and that is the time when we might be called to stay until the new appointees take over or we will be told to go home and wait to hand over,” Mr Balala said
He added that he submitted his handover report to President Kenyatta on August 2.
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