Former Sports CS Echesa lands government appointment

By Peter Ochieng

Former Sports Cabinet Secretary (CS) Rashid Echesa has landed a government appointment.

President William Ruto, through a gazette notice dated 18th May, 2023 appointed him the board chair, Kenya Water Towers Agency.

"I, William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Forces, appoint Rashid Echesa to be the Chairperson of the Kenya Water Towers Agency Board, for a period of three (3) years, with effect from the 19th May 2023," stated the Head of State.

He will serve for a period of three years, replacing Robert Kariuki who was appointed by former President Uhuru Kenyatta.

Elisha Busienei and Michael Waititu Maina have been appointed members of the board.

Echesa served as Cabinet Secretary for Sports during the initial years of Kenyatta's second term in office, after the 2017 general elections.

His appointment raised eyebrows, over reports that he was a standard 7 drop out.

He was fired in 2019 and replaced by Ambassador Amina Mohamed who served until 2022.

The former CS claimed he was not told why he was fired, linking his predicament to the 2018 handshake between President Kenyatta and ODM leader Raila Odinga.

Rashid Echesa, an ally of President William Ruto through and through vied for the Mumias West MP seat during the August 9th 2022 polls on the United Democratic Alliance (UDA) party ticket.

He lost to ODM's John Naicca.