NAIROBI -- Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki named six women to his government team, three in the cabinet and three assistant ministers, the first time more than one woman has been appointed to posts after an election.

Ruling National Rainbow Coalition (NARC) Summit member charity Ngilu was named health minister and lawyer Martha Karua became water resources minister, while first-time parliamentarian Linah Jebii Kilimo was named minister of state in the office of the vice president, AFP reported.

Three other women members of Parliament were named as assistant ministers.

Wangari Maathai, a noted environmentalist, became assistant minister for environment, natural resources and wildlife, while another elected NARC member, Beth Mugo, became assistant minister for tourism and information.

Betty Tett, who was pressured to give up her seat for another leader NARC figure, was named assistant minister for local government, and told she would be nominated to Parliament for one of seven seats NARC will be allocated proportionally.

The outgoing government of retired president Daniel Arap Moi had only one woman, Mwarere Mwachai, who was assistant minister for home affairs and national heritage.

The first ever woman to serve in the cabinet, Nyiva Mwendwa, also won election to Parliament last week on NARC ticket, but was not appointed to any post in the government, which was trimmed from 28 to 21 ministries.

Only nine women were elected to the new Parliament, eight from NARC and one from the ousted Kenya African National Union (KANU).

NARC won 125 out of the 210 constituencies, compared to 64 for the outgoing Kanu Party, which has ruled the country since independence in 1963.