Former Senator Millicent Omanga has landed another high-profile government appointment only days after turning down a role on President William Ruto’s Nairobi Rivers Commission. The appointment made on November 8, 2024, places Omanga on the Board of the Local Authorities Provident Fund (LAP Fund), a key institution in Kenya’s public pension sector.
Omanga Appointed to LAP Fund Board
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi announced the new appointees to the LAP Fund Board in an official Gazette Notice dated November 8, 2024. The notice stated that Omanga will serve on the board for a three-year term alongside Samwel Kariuki Maina and Beatrice Kones. This appointment empowers Omanga to influence Kenya’s retirement benefits policy as she works within the LAP Fund, a scheme established in 1960 and regulated under the Retirement Benefits Act of 1997.
Mbadi confirmed the appointments, saying that the LAP Fund plays a vital role as a Defined Contribution Scheme for local authority employees. He expressed confidence that Omanga and her fellow appointees would contribute significantly to advancing the fund’s goals, bringing their unique expertise to the table.
Omanga’s Rejection of Nairobi Rivers Commission Appointment
Just two weeks prior, Omanga made headlines by declining an offer to serve on the Nairobi Rivers Commission. She had been appointed by President Ruto to assist in the rehabilitation of Nairobi’s rivers, but she respectfully declined the offer, citing personal reasons. Omanga expressed deep gratitude to Ruto and acknowledged the importance of the role, but clarified that her current commitments prevented her from accepting.
“I’m deeply honored and grateful to William Ruto for the trust he’s shown in appointing me to the Nairobi Rivers Commission. This role is vital for Nairobi’s future and public health, and while I cannot accept it at this time, I am always ready to support initiatives aimed at restoring our rivers,” Omanga stated.
Following her decision, President Ruto appointed Josephat Abaga Fan Sagero to fill her spot. His appointment came alongside 11 others on the commission, which former Starehe MP Bishop Margaret Wanjiru leads. The Nairobi Rivers Commission aims to spearhead environmental clean-up initiatives crucial to Nairobi’s future.
