State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu on Saturday dismissed earlier reports that 13 Cabinet secretaries had been sacked by President Uhuru Kenyatta.

In his a statement to the press hours after the president announced that he would retain six out of the current 18 cabinet secretaries, Mr Esipisu clarified that the roles of the cabinet secretaries who have not been named remains as were assigned.

"This is to clarify that the Cabinet Secretaries currently in office remain so, as instructed in a memorandum from the Head of Public Service in December 2017, until otherwise advised,"” Mr Esipisu told journalists at State House in Nairobi on Saturday.

He added: "In the coming days, His Excellency the President will complete the task of assembling the team to serve in his second term of office, guided by merit, integrity, commitment to service, and in terms of the Constitution."

Earlier a section of the press had reported that President Uhuru Kenyatta had sacked 13 cabinet secretaries after he said that he was only retaining six out of the current 18.

6 CSs retained

The retained CSs are Henry Rotich (Treasury), Najib Balala (Tourism), James Macharia (Transport), Fred Matiang’i (Interior and acting Education), Charles Keter (Energy) and Joe Mucheru (ICT), aove which prompted the media to pick it that other 13 Cabinet Secretaries had been shown the door a the president shapes his new cabinet.

“Therefore, in accordance with the powers conferred upon me by Article 131 and 152 of our Constitution of Kenya 2010, I wish to state that I am retaining the following persons in my cabinet and shall reassign them accordingly their duties in accordance with article 152 (v (a)),” Mr Kenyatta said on Friday.

Major shake-up

Joseph Kinyua has been retained as Head of Public Service deputized by Wanyama Musyambo, while his Deputy Nzioka Waita will serve as the chief of staff and head of the Presidential Delivery Unit.

Former Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua has been appointed State House Comptroller.

Lawrence Lenayapa, who has been Kenyatta’s State House Comptroller, is expected to become the next Kenyan Ambassador to Netherlands.

The surprise in the president’s picks to fill cabinet slots is Director of Public Prosecutions Keriako Tobiko, who has already submitted his resignation to State House in readiness for a cabinet appointment. Former Marsabit Governor Ukur Yatani and former Turkana Senator John Munyes are also headed for Uhuru’s new cabinet.