From left: Jubilee Party Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, former Meru
Governor Peter Munya and former Budalang'i MP Ababu Namwamba whose names
are being mentioned in Cabinet appointments. PHOTOS | NATION MEDIA
GROUP
President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are
expected to bring more politicians into the Cabinet in major changes
insiders say are about to be unveiled.
In 2013, the two wanted a Cabinet of technocrats and had said the only politicians in it would be the two of them.
But
political realities and the failure of cabinet secretaries and
principal secretaries to adequately explain to the public the projects
their ministries were implementing have forced a rethink.
Senior government sources said the CSs and PSs did “not shout loudly” about the work the government was doing.
DELIVERY CAMPAIGN
This
was a particularly serious shortcoming because Jubilee Party wanted to
run a delivery campaign, where they sought re-election on the basis of
their 2013 pledges.
However, the bulk of project
visibility came from the work of presidency mandarins working in the
background and less from mainline ministries.
Secondly,
protracted electioneering forced the President and his deputy to cut
political deals in order to win the election and now there is a queue of
politicians waiting to collect.
With CSs Charles
Keter (Energy and Petroleum), Eugene Wamalwa (Water and Irrigation),
Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution) and Najib Balala (Tourism) apparently
assured of slots in the new Cabinet, the names of Jubilee Party
Secretary-General Raphael Tuju, former Meru Governor Peter Munya, former
Mombasa Senator Hassan Omar and two former MPs from Busia, Mr Ababu
Namwamba (Budalang’i) and Dr Paul Otuoma (Funyula), are being mentioned
in the appointments.
However, State House Spokesman
Manoah Esipisu said he will not be drawn into discussing when the
President will announce the Cabinet.
“When the President is ready, I am sure he will announce; for now, I can’t speculate,” said Mr Esipisu.
TRAVEL
The
President is expected to travel to Nakuru County to preside over
Thursday’s cadets passing-out parade at the Kenya Military Academy at
Lanet, his first official duty since he took the oath of office for a
second term on Tuesday.
Sources said on Tuesday
evening, after guests had left the State Luncheon, the President and Mr
Ruto spent several hours in a closed-door meeting into which no one else
was allowed.
While politicians in the Cabinet are seen
as the key to the President retiring with a development and service
delivery legacy, they are also seen as very key to the chances of Mr
Ruto succeeding his boss in 2022.
It was also revealed Wednesday that the President and Mr Ruto have been appraising CSs.
Among
the CS — who are not politicians — set for reappointment, multiple
sources indicated, were Dr Fred Matiang’i (Education and also acting in
Interior), Ms Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs), Mr James Macharia
(Infrastructure and Transport), Mr Joe Mucheru (ICT), Prof Judi Wakhungu
(Environment) and Ms Sicily Kariuki (Public Service and Youth Affairs).
IMPORT
The
sources said the President will especially focus on the Ministry of
Industrialisation, held by Mr Aden Mohamed, to ensure the docket
delivers job creation, increases its contribution to the Gross National
Product from the current 9 per cent to 15 per cent, making export
processing zones more competitive and playing leading role in import
substitution.
“Does the President feel that the people
currently holding this docket can deliver or who is best suited to
deliver his expectation from the ministry?” posed a government source.
From
President Kenyatta’s acceptance speech at the Kasarani stadium, it was
clear that the Health ministry will be a focal point.
He
wants to attain his promise of affordable healthcare through the
National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) and it is this docket, now led by
Dr Cleopa Mailu, to deliver.
The sources said they
thought the President wants a CS who will put to an end the crippling
strikes in the health sector. Nurses, doctors and other medical
professionals have gone on long salary strikes over the past three
years.
Education and Interior ministries will also be
given priority. That President Kenyatta is determined to implement Free
Day Secondary Education (FDSE) is evidenced by the expected first full
transition of 2017 KCPE candidates to high school.
EDUCATION
Secondly,
restoration of quality education in primary, secondary and higher
institutions of learning is a priority and Dr Matiang’i is seen as
having done an exemplary job after replacing Prof Jacob Kaimenyi in
2015.
Dr Matiang’i approached the Interior docket with the same ruthless focus and delivery during the election crisis.
The question is whether the President will retain him in Education or confirm him as a substantive Interior CS.
The
names of Kenya National Examinations Council chairman and former
University of Nairobi vice-chancellor, Prof George Magoha, and former
Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua, a former Administration Police
commandant who is now based at State House, are being mentioned.
More
complex in the delivery of political promises is how the President
deals with his presidential agent, Mr Davis Chirchir, a sharp operator
in the corridors of power.
The sources said he negotiated a top government appointment before agreeing to be the Jubilee presidential agent.
He worked at the IEBC before being appointed Energy CS, where he was purged on graft allegations but cleared by the courts.
DEBATE
Mr Chirchir is being mentioned in relation to a senior State House position.
That
would be either the President’s Chief of Staff and Head of Public
Service, currently held by Mr Joseph Kinyua, who is said to be retiring,
or Secretary to the Cabinet, most recently held by Nyandarua Governor
Francis Kimemia but vacant since he was edged out.
The
debate now is what message the President would be sending by appointing
as his principal aide a person generally seen as having had a chequered
service.
Equally, questions are being asked as to
whether it is smart politics to bring into his domain an official who
orbits in the constellation of his deputy and presumed successor as this
could put him in an early lame duck status with attention and power
shifting to the man on the make.
Sources hinted at a
split of the Energy ministry to create a new Petroleum ministry, with
the name of Petroleum PS Andrew Kamau mentioned.
With
the country facing a serious crisis of balancing its budget, mining is
seen as a new source of revenue and Mining CS Dan Kazungu may find
himself in a shaky position.
Mr Ali Wario of Sports,
having overseen the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games debacle and also
failing to deliver on the much-touted five stadiums, is also facing a
difficult period ahead.
Also looking at choppy waters is Labour CS Phyllis Kandie over the numerous strikes.
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