Ruto Makes Major State Appointments as Julius Mbijiwe Lands Vatican Ambassador Role
President William Ruto has unveiled a fresh round of high-profile government appointments, including the posting of Julius Murori Mbijiwe to a key diplomatic role and the naming of new commissioners to the National Cohesion and Integration Commission (NCIC).
In a Gazette Notice dated May 8, 2026, President Ruto formally appointed Mbijiwe as Kenya’s Ambassador to the Vatican City State, days after the National Assembly approved his nomination.
The appointment signals Nairobi’s continued efforts to strengthen diplomatic engagement with the Holy See, one of the world’s most influential religious and diplomatic institutions.
Mbijiwe’s nomination had undergone parliamentary vetting before lawmakers gave him the green light last week, clearing the final hurdle for his appointment to the Foreign Service.
At the same time, the Head of State also reconstituted the National Cohesion and Integration Commission, appointing Kepha Nyamweya Omae as the new NCIC chairperson for a six-year term.
Others appointed as commissioners include Jackson Swadi Kedogo, Samuel Mwachiro Mwawasi, Irene Tuel, Hassan Ahmed, and Jerusah Michael, among others.
According to the Gazette Notice, the appointments took effect from May 6, 2026, and were made pursuant to powers granted to the President under the Constitution and various Acts of Parliament.
The newly appointed commissioners were vetted and approved by the National Assembly after what legislators described as a rigorous review process conducted by the Departmental Committee on National Cohesion and Equal Opportunity.
The approvals were adopted during a sitting at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi on April 29, 2026.
The appointments come months after the expiry of the tenure of former NCIC chairperson Samuel Kobia and seven commissioners, whose six-year non-renewable terms ended on November 17, 2025.
The incoming team now faces the critical task of steering the commission at a time when concerns over ethnic tensions, political intolerance, and divisive rhetoric continue to dominate national discourse ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Under the law, NCIC commissioners are mandated to promote equality of opportunity, strengthen peaceful coexistence among Kenya’s communities, and investigate cases of ethnic and racial discrimination.
The commission also works closely with the Attorney General’s office, the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights, and other state agencies in addressing hate speech and ethnic incitement.
Political observers are expected to closely monitor how the newly constituted commission handles rising political temperatures as early realignments for the next general election begin taking shape.
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