File photo: Raila Jnr with his father former PM Raila Odinga.
Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s stay-vacation in Dubai has forced Uhuru to delay the much anticipated cabinet reshuffle and changes in top government institutions. Uhuru is said to be cautious and doesn’t want to make serious changes without deep consultation with the peoples president. Raila will be back to Nairobi by Monday 13th July and Statehouse anticipates that it will take about 2 weeks to conclude the changes.
Due to the delay, he assured Cabinet and Principal secretaries last week that he will not effect the changes for now, he communicated the position to the state officers — some of whom had panicked — during last Tuesday’s meeting in a virtual meeting. Deputy President William Ruto was not invited to the meeting and in his place Interior CS Fred Matiangi played a number 2.
It was much relieve to DP Ruto allies as the President was categorical that “as long as we can deliver to Kenyans on the development agenda he has set, no one should worry”.
The purge of Deputy President William Ruto allies in the Senate and the National Assembly birthed fears the President would extend the same to the Cabinet.
Talk of a government of national unity has rife amid speculation that former prime minister Raila Odinga and his co-pricinpals in NASA H E Kalonzo Musyoka and H.E governor Isaac Rutto together with KANU’s Gideon Moi were asked to forward nominees to included in the cabinet.
Reliable sources hinted that 18 PSs out of 44 were set to be fired and replaced with the said nominees. The sources further revealed that about 12 Cabinet posts will go should Uhuru go ahead with to the changes.
The issue of Sports CS Amina Mohammed who is bidding for the World Trade Organization’s Director General position is also a factor, although the president is keen on offloading her from the cabinet, he is in dilemma on where exactly he should place her and thus WTO is a perfect opprtunity, Uhuru has rolled out intensive lobbying to see he clinch the position. Uhuru is basically buying time so that he doesnt effect changes that will again turn to a headache. It is also important that as lobbying for her continues her position is stronger as a reigning cabinet minister than as a former minister.
That Baba is the engine is now an obvious position given the delay in a number of appointments at various parastatals.
“The appointments at the parastatals were to be done last Friday but the consultations took longer. They will be done this week,” a senior state officer told the Star.
It is also emerging that the four parties — ODM, Wiper, Chama Cha Mashinani, and KANU — were ok with the delay to get humble time to first deal with the parliamentary leadership impasse.
Jubilee has donated to them posts of committee chairmen, which are powerful House leadership positions.
DP Ruto, who has fallen out with the President, lamented that politicians, CSs, PSs and CEOs of parastatals seen to be closer to him are targeted for prosecution, removal and victimisation.
Some had reportedly started removing their personal property from their offices quietly as talk of the anticipated reshuffle grew.
But that stands to change, if the President’s assurance is anything to go by.
He reportedly said that even before he fires any State officer, he will have personally issued them with a verbal warning.
“When I hired you, I never announced it in the media. I will also not announce in the media when I want you out.
“So, ignore what is being said out there and serve Kenyans. I will be keen on your track record and nothing else,” the President is said to have told the 85 officials who attended the virtual meeting. However most of Ruto allies in government said this was a ploy for them to continue slaving for Uhuru, basically they are being fattened for slaughter sometimes in mid August.
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