NAIROBI, Kenya

Kenyan President William Ruto has reshuffled his Cabinet for the first time since assuming office last year, making major changes to the foreign affairs and trade ministries.

In a press release issued Wednesday, Ruto announced that the Ministry of Foreign and Diaspora Affairs will now be part of the Office of the Prime Cabinet Secretary, which is headed by Musalia Mudavadi.

In the press release, the government said the reshuffle is aimed at "optimizing performance and enhancing service delivery."

Alfred Mutua, the former foreign affairs minister, was transferred to the Tourism and Wildlife Ministry, while Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria was transferred to the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management.

Other loyalists to the ruling government were reshuffled into various ministries.

Some of the key changes in the reshuffle include the appointment of Alice Wahome, Cabinet Secretary for Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, as the Minister for Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development and Aisha Jumwa, the former Chief Administrative Secretary for Public Service, Gender and Affirmative Action as the Minister for Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage.

The water ministry was also affected by the reshuffle, seeing Rebecca Miano, the former Minister for the East African Community, reassigned as minister of trade. Former Tourism Minister Peninah Malonza was transferred to the Ministry of East African Community.

The reshuffle comes as Ruto is grappling with several challenges, including the high cost of living and fuel and rising unemployment. The East African leader is also facing increasing opposition from his political rivals, and experts say the reshuffle could be seen as an attempt to address these challenges.