22/04/08

New science ministry — and minister — for Kenya

The new science ministry will unite scientists and university researchers Copyright: WHO/TDR/Crump

By: Kimani Chege

We encourage you to republish this article online and in print, it’s free under our creative commons attribution license, but please follow some simple guidelines:

You have to credit our authors.
You have to credit SciDev.Net — where possible include our logo with a link back to the original article.
You can simply run the first few lines of the article and then add: “Read the full article on SciDev.Net” containing a link back to the original article.
If you want to also take images published in this story you will need to confirm with the original source if you're licensed to use them.
The easiest way to get the article on your site is to embed the code below.

For more information view our media page and republishing guidelines.

The full article is available here as HTML.

Press Ctrl-C to copy

<div class="article-wrap">
<div id="article-introduction">
<h1>New science ministry — and minister — for Kenya</h1>
<h4>By: Kimani Chege</h4>
</div>
<br />
<br />

<div id="article-body">
<p><span>[NAIROBI] Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki swore in a new government last week (13 April), appointing a new science minister and announcing the creation of a new science ministry. </span></p>
<p><span>The existing Ministry of Science and Technology has been merged with the Department of Higher Education — previously under the Ministry of Education — to form the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, bringing together scientists and university researchers.</span></p>
<p><span>And the formation of the grand coalition cabinet — made up equally of loyalists to Kibaki and new prime minister Raila Odinga — saw Sally </span>Jepng’etich<strong><span> </span></strong>Ko<span>sgei, a career diplomat with extensive experience in public service, given the post of minister of higher education, science and technology.</span></p>
<p><span>According to communications officials in the new ministry, priorities are already set. These include the passing of a biotechnology bill in Kenyan Parliament (see <a href="http://www.scidev.net/en/news/kenya-approves-a-national-policy-on-biotechnology.html"><span>Kenya approves a national policy on biotechnology</span></a></span>) and the establishment of at least four technical universities.</p>
<p>Though Ko<span>sgei has no science background, she is one of the most senior women in public service in Kenya’s history. </span></p>
<p><span>Miriam Kinyua, an associate professor of biotechnology at Moi University, says Kosgei has proven herself as a shrewd strategist in her earlier appointments and all she needs is an effective technical team to guide her.</span></p>
<p><span>She says it is desirable to have a minister who is a scientist, "but if the technical teams she will work with know what is required, then she doesn’t have to be a scientist". Kinyua added that having a female science minister could boost the role played by women in science and agriculture in Kenya.</span></p>
<p><span>Stephen Agong, the deputy Vice Chancellor of Maseno University and a former executive director of the African Academy of Sciences, says that the merged ministry will make it easier to coordinate research in Kenya.</span></p>
<p><span>He believes that the minister should also focus on increasing research and extension funding in public universities to boost science development in the country. </span></p>
<p>Calestous Juma, <span>director of the Science, Technology and Globalization project at the US-based Harvard University says, "</span><span>[Sally Kosgei’s] extensive knowledge of the wider functioning of government and international connections will help elevate the importance of [science and technology] in future efforts to shape Kenya’s economic policy." </span></p>
<p><span>Noah Wekesa, the previous minister for science and technology, has been made minister of forestry and wildlife, and there are also reports that Romano Kiome, former director of Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, could be appointed as head of public service and secretary to the cabinet.</span></p>

</div>
<div class="quick-links-wrapper">
<h3>You might also like</h3>
[related-articles]
</div>
<p>This article was originally published on <a href="https://www.scidev.net" target="_blank">SciDev.Net</a>. Read the <a href="https://www.scidev.net/global/news/new-science-ministry-and-minister-for-kenya/" target="_blank">original article</a>.</p>
<script type="text/javascript">
(function(e,t,n,r,i,s,o){e["GoogleAnalyticsObject"]=i;e[i]=e[i]||function(){(e[i].q=e[i].q||[]).push(arguments)},e[i].l=1*new Date;s=t.createElement(n),o=t.getElementsByTagName(n)[0];s.async=1;s.src=r;o.parentNode.insertBefore(s,o)})(window,document,"script","//www.google-analytics.com/ga.js","ga");var _gaq=_gaq||[];var _gaq=_gaq||[];_gaq.push(["_setAccount","UA-3223906-8"],["_trackEvent","article interaction","republished","https://www.scidev.net/global/news/new-science-ministry-and-minister-for-kenya/",null,true])
</script>
</div>

[NAIROBI] Kenyan president Mwai Kibaki swore in a new government last week (13 April), appointing a new science minister and announcing the creation of a new science ministry.

The existing Ministry of Science and Technology has been merged with the Department of Higher Education — previously under the Ministry of Education — to form the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology, bringing together scientists and university researchers.

And the formation of the grand coalition cabinet — made up equally of loyalists to Kibaki and new prime minister Raila Odinga — saw Sally Jepng’etich Kosgei, a career diplomat with extensive experience in public service, given the post of minister of higher education, science and technology.

According to communications officials in the new ministry, priorities are already set. These include the passing of a biotechnology bill in Kenyan Parliament (see Kenya approves a national policy on biotechnology) and the establishment of at least four technical universities.

Though Kosgei has no science background, she is one of the most senior women in public service in Kenya’s history.

Miriam Kinyua, an associate professor of biotechnology at Moi University, says Kosgei has proven herself as a shrewd strategist in her earlier appointments and all she needs is an effective technical team to guide her.

She says it is desirable to have a minister who is a scientist, "but if the technical teams she will work with know what is required, then she doesn’t have to be a scientist". Kinyua added that having a female science minister could boost the role played by women in science and agriculture in Kenya.

Stephen Agong, the deputy Vice Chancellor of Maseno University and a former executive director of the African Academy of Sciences, says that the merged ministry will make it easier to coordinate research in Kenya.

He believes that the minister should also focus on increasing research and extension funding in public universities to boost science development in the country.

Calestous Juma, director of the Science, Technology and Globalization project at the US-based Harvard University says, "[Sally Kosgei’s] extensive knowledge of the wider functioning of government and international connections will help elevate the importance of [science and technology] in future efforts to shape Kenya’s economic policy."

Noah Wekesa, the previous minister for science and technology, has been made minister of forestry and wildlife, and there are also reports that Romano Kiome, former director of Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, could be appointed as head of public service and secretary to the cabinet.