By LUKE ANAMI

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President William Ruto on Tuesday completed the formation of his new Cabinet when he appointed Ms Beatrice Askul Moe as Cabinet Secretary for EAC Affairs and Regional Development.

In a statement signed by Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, President Ruto also nominated long-serving public prosecutor Dorcas Oduor as the Attorney-General.

East African Community enthusiasts may not know Ms Moe. But she comes from one of the focus areas of the ministry she will head, which formally deals with regional integration and the welfare of the country's arid and semi-arid regions.

She is a politician, a long-time ally of opposition leader Raila Odinga, whose party, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM), recently benefited from President William Ruto's latest ministerial appointments.

Ms Moe is also a social scientist and consultant, having previously served as the County Executive Committee Member in charge of Water, Irrigation, Agriculture and Land Reclamation in Turkana County Government.

Read: Kenya's President Ruto sacks entire Cabinet

She has also previously served as Director of the Rift Valley Water Services Board, Chairperson of the Technical Committee of the Rift Valley Water Services Board, Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the Rift Valley Water Services Board, Project Officer for AMREF Kenya Turkana Project and Relief Officer for Oxfam Turkana Relief Programme.

Ms Moe played a key role in ODM leader Raila Odinga's 2022 presidential campaign as part of a seven-member panel responsible for selecting his running mate, which eventually settled on Martha Karua, a former Justice minister.

She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Sciences (Social Work) from the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) and is pursuing a Master's degree in Governance and Ethics.

She replaces Ms Peninah Malonza who was dropped in the cabinet changes announced by President Ruto in his second batch of 10 ministers that included prominent ODM figures such as Hassan Joho, Wycliffe Oparanya, John Mbadi and Opiyo Wandayi.

Ruto has also nominated Dorcas Oduor for the position of Attorney-General.

Ms Oduor, an advocate of the High Court, is currently the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions.

She holds a Master of Arts in International Conflict Management (UoN), a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) (UoN) and a Diploma in Law from the Kenya School of Law.