President William Ruto has reassigned Phillip Kello Harsama as the new Principal Secretary for the State Department for Petroleum following the resignation of former PS Mohamed Liban.
In a statement issued by the Executive Office of the President on on Thursday, 28th May, 2026, Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Felix Koskei said the changes were aimed at filling the vacancy left in the department and ensuring continuity in government operations.
“His Excellency the President has this afternoon, pursuant to Article 155(4) of the Constitution, effected re-assignments within the rank of Principal Secretaries,” the statement read.
According to the notice, Harsama has been moved from the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development to the Petroleum docket with immediate effect.
The statement further announced that Dr Caroline W. Karugu, who serves as Principal Secretary for East African Community Affairs, would additionally act as PS for the State Department for ASALs and Regional Development.
“The re-assignments are intended to fill the vacancy arising from the resignation of the immediate former Principal Secretary for the State Department for Petroleum and to ensure continuity in the administration and coordination of Government functions,” the statement added.
The reshuffling comes weeks after former Petroleum Principal Secretary Mohamed Liban resigned following investigations into an alleged irregular KSh4 billion emergency fuel import deal.
Liban was arrested on April 2, 2026, alongside EPRA Director General Daniel Kiptoo and Kenya Pipeline Company Managing Director Joe Sang over the procurement of an allegedly substandard fuel cargo outside the government-to-government oil import framework.
On April 4, 2026, the three officials resigned and were later released on bail as investigations by the DCI and ODPP continued.
