Ruto ally lands key energy job

By LORDRICK MAYABI | April 25, 2013

President Uhuru Kenyatta unveiled the 53-year-old computer scientist on Thursday, saying his extensive experience in public service placed him in good stead to steer the country’s energy sector/PPS

NAIROBI, Kenya, Apr 25 – Davis Chirchir, the Secretary General of Deputy President William’s Ruto’s United Republican Party, is the man set to head the influential Energy and Petroleum ministry.

President Uhuru Kenyatta unveiled the 53-year-old computer scientist on Thursday, saying his extensive experience in public service placed him in good stead to steer the country’s energy sector.

According to Kenyatta, Chirchir has a depth of experience in project development, management and execution and is skilled in strategic analysis and financial management.

He served as a commissioner of the defunct Interim Independent Electoral Commission (IIEC) that managed the 2010 Constitution referendum, where he was in charge of Information Technology.

He has previously also worked as the General Manager at the obsolete Kenya Posts and Telecommunications Corporation where he coordinated its restructuring to create Telkom Kenya.

Chirchir has also previously worked at the Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK), and the Postal Corporation of Kenya staff Pension Fund.

He also coordinated the privatisation of Telkom Kenya and establishment of mobile service provider Safaricom.

Chirchir holds a Masters of Business Administration in International Management from Royal Holloway School of Management, University of London and a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science and Physics from the University of Nairobi.

He is married with four children.

When introduced at State House, he pledged to ensure that the cost of power is reduced both for household and large scale consumers to lower the cost of production.

“We do know the agenda you have given through your manifesto and we will work to deliver. Kenya is a country of great opportunities amid the challenges,” he said pointing out that the country needed competitively priced energy.

According the Jubilee manifesto, the government seeks to expand electricity production by 10GW in the next 10 years to provide sufficient power even for export.