Residents of Kitui County have applauded appointment and subsequent swearing in of Penina Malonza as the cabinet secretary for ministry for Tourism, Wildlife and Heritage.
Scores of her home county residents said that the swearing in of their own daughter to assume the docket was a milestone in addressing their historical teething problems resulting from human-wildlife conflict in the county.
The residents who were at new Cabinet Secretary Penina’s home at Kwangindu village in suburbs of Kitui town, further conveyed their appreciation to President William Ruto for her appointment.
The cabinet swearing in ceremony also included other cabinet secretaries, Attorney general and secretary to the cabinet who were approved by parliament on Wednesday.
Among the cabinet secretaries appointed was Malonza who had initially been rejected by majority of the members of parliamentary committee on appointment that vetted the nominees, but was approved later on.
Malonza is the former Kitui deputy governor. She has also worked in various institutions including Compassion international, a non-governmental organization operating in the country.
Members of Kilandini community based organizations operating at Kyangwithya East Ward, of which Malonza is also a member welcomed her assumption to the CS docket.
The organization’s chairperson Petronilah Mutua while speaking to KNA Thursday at Malonza’s home further thanked the President for the appointment.
“We are happy today because that our president saw potential in women and especially in Malonza that she could was fit to serve in the Tourism docket. Despite the challenges she faced during parliamentary committee vetting, at long last she managed to pass the vetting process and today we are here celebrating,” she said.