By Brian Okoth
Kenyan President William Ruto on Tuesday faced the first high-profile resignation in his government after the Principal Secretary (PS) in charge of Correctional Services stepped down.
PS Esther Ngero left office “for personal reasons”, the Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said in a statement.
Ngero’s resignation comes a week after President Ruto transferred her from the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary to the Correctional Services docket, which is in charge of prisons.
At least eight principal secretaries were moved in the May 16 changes.
Koskei said Ruto “accepted with regret” Ngero’s resignation from government.
“The Head of State and Government has conveyed his gratitude to Ms. Ngero for her service to the nation and wished her the very best in all her future endeavours,” said Koskei.
Until her appointment to government in December 2022, Ngero worked as a senior accountant in the petroleum sector for nearly 20 years.
In Kenya, principal secretaries are the chief accounting officers in ministries, and therefore oversee expenditure. They help the Cabinet secretaries (ministers) to run the ministries.
