EXTERIOR STATE HOUSE; NAIROBI; KENYATTA PRESIDING AT MEETING INSIDE; ODERO-JOWI TAKING OATH; KENYATTA SIGNING PAPER AUTHORISING ODERO-JOWI'S APPOINTMENT; ODERO-JOWI COUNTERSIGNING; CABINET MEMBERS APPLAUDING.




Initials WW/VS/JF/ES



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Background: MR JOSEPHO ODERO-JOWI WAS YESTERDAY (31 JULY) SWORN IN BY PRESIDENT JOMO KENYATTA AS KENYA'S NEW MINISTER OF ECONOMIC PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. HE REPLACES THE LATE MR TOM MBOYA, WHO WAS ASSASSINATED IN A NAIROBI STREET BY AN UNKNOWN GUNMAN ON 5 JULY.

MR ODERO-JOWI IS 39 AND, LIKE MR MBOYA, A LUO. HE WAS APPOINTED KENYA'S MINISTER FOR LABOUR IN 1955 BEFORE BECOMING MINISTER OF FINANCE IN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY -- AN ECONOMIC GROUPING OF KENYA, TANZANIA AND UGANDA.

OBSERVERS SAY THAT, APART FROM MR ODERO-JOWI'S OBVIOUS ABILITY AND SENIORITY, IT WAS SIGNIFICANT THAT PRESIDENT KENYATTA APPOINTED A LUO TO FILL MR MBOYA'S POSITION.

AT THE CABINET MEETING THAT MR ODERO-JOWI BECAME ECONOMIC PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MINISTER, TWO OTHER NEW APPOINTMENTS WERE MADE: MR ROBERT JOHN OUKO, 37, MOVED FROM THE MINISTRY OF WORKS, WHERE HE WAS PERMANENT SECRETARY, TO TAKE MR ODERO-JOWI'S PLACE AS FINANCE MINISTER TO THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY; AND MR JOHN OKWANYO, 41, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR MIGORI, BECAME ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS.