President William Ruto Appoints New Chairs to Military Veterans and Social Protection Boards

Kenya’s President William Ruto has made fresh appointments to two key government bodies, naming retired Major General William Karisa Shume as chairperson of the Advisory Committee on Military Veterans and Cecilia Mbaka as chairperson of the National Board for Social Protection.

In a gazette notice issued on Friday, August 28, 2026, President Ruto appointed Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Shume as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the Advisory Committee on Military Veterans for a four-year term effective from August 28, 2026.

Shume succeeds retired Major General Lucas Kyonze Tumbo, whose tenure came to an end.

As chairperson, Shume will preside over the committee’s meetings and deliberations and provide leadership in the formulation and review of recommendations submitted to the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Council.

He will also advise the Defence Council and the Cabinet Secretary for Defence on policies relating to military veterans and their dependants.

In a separate gazette notice, President Ruto appointed Cecilia Mbaka as the Non-Executive Chairperson of the National Board for Social Protection.

Mbaka will serve a three-year term beginning August 28, 2026, with the possibility of a further three-year term subject to a fresh presidential decision.

The National Board for Social Protection is responsible for providing oversight of beneficiary registration and the delivery of social welfare programmes to vulnerable citizens under Kenya’s Social Protection Act.

Mbaka’s role will focus on providing strategic leadership, governance and high-level oversight of the board rather than managing its day-to-day operations.

The two appointments took effect on the same day, placing Shume and Mbaka in leadership positions overseeing important areas of government policy covering military veterans, their dependants and social protection.

The appointments come as Kenya approaches the 2027 General Election, with the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) requiring public officers seeking elective office to resign by February 10, 2027.