President Uhuru Kenyatta deep in thought at Apostles of Jesus Shrine
Christ the King in Karen, Nairobi on November 22, 2015. Kenyatta quietly
increased his stake in government at the expense of URP with the
appointment of Sicily Kariuki to add to the earlier entry of Eugene
Wamalwa to the Water docket. PHOTO | EVANS HABIL
Details of the behind-the-scenes intrigues which informed the
latest reshuffle that cut short the Cabinet careers of a quarter of the
original list of ministers can be revealed by the Sunday Nation.
Discussions
between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto on
the new list opened with an agreement that none of the Cabinet
Secretaries associated with corruption would be allowed back to their
posts.
This meant that the five
ministers forced out of office in March — Charity Ngilu, Davis Chirchir,
Felix Koskei, Kazungu Kambi and Michael Kamau — would not be considered
in the new line-up.
Joining them was Anne Waiguru who was forced out two weeks ago after the much publicised National Youth Service scandal.
SIX SLOTS TO FILL
That
meant the two Jubilee coalition leaders had at least six slots to fill,
although they eventually created one more ministry, raising the number
of ministers to 20, up from 19.
In
the Coast, Malindi ODM Member of Parliament Dan Kazungu, who was
nominated to succeed Mr Kambi, was a compromise candidate among the
coastal power-brokers close to government.
The
agreement to nominate Mr Kazungu, a former top official at technology
company IBM, was made following the realisation that picking some of the
more vocal politicians could upset the Jubilee support base in the
region and probably complicate matters for the coalition.
KAZUNGU'S ATTRACTION
The
expected by-election in Malindi may also not be a do-or-die issue for
both Jubilee and opposition coalition Cord, a fact which enhanced Mr
Kazungu’s attraction.
From Central,
former MP Mwangi Kiunjuri’s nomination as new Devolution Secretary is
expected to achieve two aims; he helps to calm the restless Aberdare
West grouping of leaders from Nakuru, Nyandarua and Laikipia Counties
which had been grumbling over what local politicians claimed was neglect
by Mr Kenyatta.
“The area has been a
headache for the President. The nomination of Kiunjuri, a known
grassroots mobiliser, is also expected to assuage the anger among some
Nyeri politicians since Kiunjuri has his roots in Nyeri,” a source
familiar with State House thinking told the Sunday Nation.
NEW CENTRE OF POWER IN UKAMBANI
The
nomination of experienced medic Dr Cleopa Mailu to the crucial Health
docket is expected to have political ramifications in Ukambani politics.
Coming
from Makueni county, the long-serving Nairobi Hospital boss is expected
to create a new centre of power away from the traditional
Kitui-Machakos axis that has dominated local politics for a long time.
The fact that Dr Mailu was one of the key advisers of Cord co-principal Kalonzo Musyoka cannot be overlooked.
It would be interesting to know whether Mr Musyoka was aware of Dr Mailu’s nomination or whether he sanctioned it.
RIFT VALLEY POLITICS
Another surprise nomination was Agriculture Secretary Willy Bett who replaced Mr Koskei.
Coming from the same Nandi county as Mr Koskei, Mr Bett’s selection must be understood in the context of intra-URP politics.
“Bett
was fronted by Nandi power brokers who had offered Koskei to
government. Ruto owes the county for its support hence their role in
selecting the nominee. Apart from being MD of Kenya Seed Company not
much is known about the man who will head one of the most important
dockets in government. He has been given an experienced Principal
Secretary to work with,” the source said.
Outgoing
Environment PS Richard Lesiyampe, who previously served as Kenyatta
National Hospital CEO, has been appointed to take over in Agriculture.
In
the same Rift Valley, Mr Ruto’s right hand man, Charles Keter, has been
nominated to the Energy docket. “Keter was always going to be in
government, it was a matter of when, not if,” the source said.
The reshuffle has, however, elicited murmurs of discontent among those close to Mr Ruto who believe that URP was short-changed.
TREASURY AT THE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
They
argue that Mr Kenyatta quietly increased his stake in government at the
expense of URP with the appointment of Sicily Kariuki to add to the
earlier entry of Eugene Wamalwa to the Water docket.
Those close to Ruto fear that there is a scheme to recreate Treasury at the Office of the President.
This,
they fear, will take away the main function from Mr Henry Rotich and
transfer it to OP where a former National Treasury Permanent Secretary
and now Chief of Staff Joseph Kinyua runs the show.
MS KARIUKI'S PROMOTION
A
State House source explained the rationale behind Ms Kariuki’s
promotion to Cabinet from Agriculture PS where she takes over some of
the departments previously under Ms Waiguru, including the controversial
National Youth Service component as well as Gender and Human Resource
Development.
An amiable person, Ms
Kariuki is an experienced technocrat whose style may contrast with Ms
Waiguru’s tough approach, although the source indicated it was felt that
Ms Kariuki had the strength to steer some of the President’s projects.
She previously headed the Tea Board of Kenya, among other positions she has held.
IT AGENDA
ICT
nominee Joe Mucheru brings in global visibility and a youth perspective
which Mr Kenyatta wants as he pushes his youth and IT agenda that was
crucial during his election campaign and which is expected to play a
crucial role in the 2017 elections.
Mr Mucheru previously headed Google Kenya’s office where he worked mainly with youthful Kenyans.
Dr Fred Matiang'i, it is understood, was transferred to Education ministry to “save him from himself”.
A
hard worker who often delivered on his mandate and tough assignments
given by the President such as resolving the deadly land dispute in
Murang’a and lately the Waitiki saga in the Coast, Dr Matiang’i was,
however, fast falling victim to land cartels that have for many years
controlled business at Ardhi House.
The ICT Secretary had been overseeing operations at the Lands ministry after Mrs Ngilu was forced out in March.
Dr Matiang’i was also viewed as having created too many enemies within his previous Information docket.
Apart
from having frosty relations with the media, he also quickly fell out
with major players such as giant telco Safaricom which complained that
he was favouring Airtel in making key decisions.
The
decision not to restore any of those accused of having taken part in
corruption also effectively ended the careers of a string of PSs who
were left out in the cold as part of the reorganisation of the
Executive.
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