President William Ruto has effected changes in the ranks of Principal Secretaries, moving Basic Education PS Julius Bitok to the Tourism Ministry in the latest government reshuffle.
In the changes announced on Tuesday, June 9, Tourism PS John Lekakeny Ololtuaa was transferred to the State Department for Basic Education, effectively swapping positions with Bitok.
"His Excellency the president has this afternoon sanctioned re-assignments in the senior ranks of the Executive in the cadre of Principal Secretaries," Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said in a statement.
"BY DINT OF the Presidential action, Amb. Prof. Julius Bitok, PhD, CBS, has been re-assigned from the State Department for Basic Education, Ministry of Education, to the State Department for Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, while Mr. John Lekakeny Ololtuaa, CBS, has been re-assigned from the State Department for Tourism, Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, to the State Department for Basic Education, Ministry of Education."
The Executive Office of the President indicated that the transfers take effect immediately.
The reshuffle comes at a time when the Education Ministry has been facing mounting public pressure over unrest in secondary schools, which has led to the indefinite closure of more than 80 institutions across the country.
Before his transfer, Bitok had addressed the wave of school fires and maintained that the government would not alter the school calendar, remarks that drew criticism from some quarters.
Speaking on June 6, the former Basic Education PS linked the unrest to anxiety surrounding examinations and urged schools to consider postponing mock exams to help ease tensions.
"We have told the school principals and teachers not to force students to do exams. They should negotiate with them. If they are not ready, even for mock exams, they should talk to the students.
"It is better for exams to be postponed than to force them, because by morning, they may have burned down the school. We must ensure we listen to these learners. They have something to say," Bitok said on Saturday.
Bitok's Replacement
John Lekakeny Ololtuaa is a Kenyan public servant who was appointed Principal Secretary in the State Department for Tourism in 2022 under President William Ruto's administration, a position he served before today's changes.
Before joining the national government, Ololtuaa served as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Kenya Tourism Board, where he was responsible for marketing Kenya as a global tourism destination and promoting the country's tourism sector in international markets.
He has also held diplomatic roles, including serving as Kenya's Ambassador to several countries in the Middle East. His career spans public administration, diplomacy, tourism marketing, and international relations.
As Tourism Principal Secretary, Ololtuaa oversaw policies and programmes aimed at increasing tourist arrivals, boosting tourism revenues, and supporting Kenya's recovery and growth in the sector.
During his tenure, the ministry pursued initiatives focused on destination marketing, investment promotion, product diversification, and strengthening Kenya's position as a leading tourism destination in Africa.
His reassignment to the Education Ministry places him in charge of the Basic Education docket, which oversees primary and secondary education policy implementation across the country.
