Sports Cabinet Secretary Rashid Echesa was removed from his position during a presidential cabinet reshuffle, with Amina Mohammed appointed as his successor on March 1, 2019, according to official announcements.
President Uhuru Kenyatta also named George Magoha, head of the Kenya National Education Council, as the new education cabinet secretary. Echesa's dismissal sparked immediate public reaction, with the sacked official publicly questioning the rationale behind his removal.
Speaking from his residence on March 1, Echesa stated: "Yale yamefanyika ata mimi niliona kwa TV. I’m also waiting to be told and be given reasons why I was fired." He added, "The President appointed me and he had his own reasons why he appointed me. Today he has told me to step aside, he has reasons for telling me to step aside, and that is not the end of the line."
Echesa further asserted, "Si mimi nilikuwa naishi hapa na nyinyi..mimi nimezaliwa hapa nyumbani? yea so there is nothing to worry about." The statement referenced constitutional provisions regarding executive appointments, with Echesa noting "Kikatiba rais anahaki ya kufuta na kuandika mawaziri."
Echesa formally transferred ministry responsibilities to Mohammed on March 5, 2019, marking the conclusion of his tenure in the role.
