Ruto scraps Performance and Delivery Department in government shake up

The department was initially headed by Veronica Nduva, who was appointed Secretary General of the East African Community in July 2024, leaving the docket without a Principal Secretary.

Originally, the department was based at the Ministry of Public Service under Moses Kuria, following President Ruto’s Executive Order No. 2 of 2023.

However, after Kuria was dismissed and later appointed as a Senior Adviser in the Office of the President, Ruto named former Mbeere North MP Geoffrey Ruku to the restructured ministry.

The portfolio was renamed the Ministry of Public Service, Human Capital Development and Special Programmes, excluding the Performance and Delivery Management docket.

On Thursday, June 12, 2025, the President reorganised the structure of government and officially scrapped the department through a new directive published by the Head of Public Service, Felix Koskei.

The new directive, Executive Order No. 1 of 2025, repeals Executive Order No. 2 of 2023, which had initially established the department.

According to the executive order, the restructuring includes the winding up of the State Department for Performance and Delivery Management and the transfer of its residual functions to the Executive Office of the President.

This move is seen as an effort to expand the mandate of the Deputy Head of Public Service, Eliud Owalo, who oversees performance and delivery management.

Although Owalo reports to Felix Koskei, he is effectively in charge of performance tracking and delivery across the government.

In the same Executive Order, President Ruto also established several new State Departments.

These include the State Department for National Government Coordination, the State Department for Science, Research and Innovation, the State Department for Public Investments and Asset Management, the State Department for Special Programmes, and the State Department for Aviation and Aerospace Development.

These newly created departments reflect the President’s expanded executive structure and the appointment of additional Principal Secretaries under a broader and more diversified government framework.