It is being reported by Star newspaper that President Uhuru has surrounded himself with 8 men half of whom are yes-men while the other half are strong willed individuals. The paper reports that the wise men/kitchen cabinet were was instrumental in the decision to deport Miguna Miguna to Canada on Monday this week and also the shutting down of TV stations.
The tough four strongmen include include DP Ruto, Speaker Justin Muturi, Kinuthia Mbugua and Philip Kameru
The Yes-men who are said to project themselves as problem solvers are said to largely agree on proposals suggested by strongmen & Uhuru and then later they recoil back to their respective technocrats to search for ways of executing the proposals, and that is why for example Miguna Miguna deportation was effected despite it being an absurd. By the time the technocrats advised otherwise it was already an order that they could not back off from.Senior counsel Ahmednasir termed the decision to deport Miguna as ‘Stupid’ while appearing on JKLIVE on Citizen TV on Tuesday evening.
The Yes-men include CS John Mucheru, Matiangi, AG Githu Mugai and Jomo Gecaga. The CDF General Mwathethe is said to be the moderate among the 8.
Here is the brief details as per the Star;
DP WILLIAM RUTO
DP Ruto remains a key member of Uhuru’s inner team. He remains the principal adviser to the President and is by his side most of the time when he is consulting others or making decisions. Uhuru allows his deputy to deal with a litany of political issues and to drive his administration’s agenda.
In the last two weeks, Ruto has presided over crucial meetings aimed at jump-starting the Big Four agenda at his Karen residence. He still enjoys the traditional chemistry that was strained by the Cabinet appointments. To his credit, the DP has learnt how to play along as he strategises for the succession battle ahead.
House Speaker JUSTIN MUTURI
The National Assembly Speaker is a close friend of the President and have worked together in Bunge since 2002. When Uhuru was looking for his new Cabinet nominees, Muturi, was among the people he was consulting. He, together with CSs Fred Matiang’i, Joe Mucheru, Intelligence director Philip Kameru and Attorney-General Githu helped the President decide the initial nominees to the Cabinet that DP Ruto was uncomfortable with.
The same team met and decided to withdraw the police from Uhuru Park and allow NASA to go on with their swearing-in ceremony last week, while the President was in Ethiopia.
Matiang’i. Kameru, Mucheru and some other senior government officials made the decision to deport Miguna.
Muturi takes care of the President’s interests and executes his agenda through the Jubilee-dominated Parliament. As Chairman of the Parliamentary Service Commission and chair of the Appointments Committee of the National Assembly, Muturi is the President’s gatekeeper in the Legislature.
He is consulted and prepares the ground for smooth-implementation executive decisions that require legislative backup. His role is likely to be amplified in the implementation of the Big Four plan.
Interior CS FRED MATIANG’I
Referred to derisively as the ‘super minister’ by his former Cabinet colleagues, the new Interior Cabinet Secretary has wormed his way into Uhuru’s Kitchen Cabinet because of his abrasive and decisive style of prosecuting government policy.
He sees and speaks to the President daily on various issues (this is normal given his portfolio) and it is understood that the President has a lot of time for and trust in the former Education Cabinet Secretary. Matiangi’s rise is attributed to his hard work and the backing of Mzee Simeon Nyachae
ICT -CS JOE MUCHERU
The pint-sized ICT Cabinet Secretary is by virtue of his portfolio among the President’s inner circle. He earned the trust of the President for his role in mobilising the voter turnout in Nyeri County and, together with Matiang’i and other government agencies, delivering clean national examinations in a record turnaround time because of the application of information technology.
He is among the few Cabinet Secretaries engaged in the execution of the recent crackdown, his role being to manage media, as key decisions on how to deal with Raila’s oath-taking ceremony were made.
AG GITHU MUGAI
Although seen by many as a man on his way out, the AG seems to have regained the confidence of the President on legal matters. Since the President was sworn in, the AG has been spending many hours in State House ensuring Uhuru makes legally sound decisions. It is his advice that has been queried by critics who have faulted many of the President’s actions, including the recent creation of the position of Chief Administrative Secretary and the subsequent nominations that have been challenged in court.
Statehouse Comptroller Governor KINUTHIA MBUGUA
The new State House comptroller is reputed to be a stern administrator from his days as the Commandant of the Administration Police. He is not only in charge of who sees the President but sits in key meetings and follows up to ensure decisions are fully implemented. The former governor of Nakuru is known to send fear among staff, and is seen as part of the reason the president’s easy-going demeanor has began to wear off.
NIS Chief PHILIP KAMERU
The Director-General of the National Intelligence Service is characteristically the quiet member of Uhuru’s Kitchen Cabinet. He has the president’s trust and is said to be responsible for some of the operations that have raised political hue and cry recently. His service has recently been involved in covert operations, and it is believed to be doing more than just gathering intelligence.
CDF General SAMSON MWATHETHE
Like his Intelligence counterpart, the Kenyan Chief of Defence Forces remains a key member of the inner circle since Uhuru began his re-election campaigns. He is a frequent visitor to State House to brief the commander on various security operations in and out of the country.
Private Secretary JOMO GECAGA
The President’s private secretary and nephew has been by his side for years. Along with Mbugua, he is the one who often transmits the president’s directives and brings back the feedback. He is instrumental in deciding have been calling the shots on who attends what meeting.
Additionally, the President often consults with Jubilee Vice-Chair David Murathe,
Chief of staff and head of the Presidential Delivery Unit Nzioka Waita, and the party’s Majority leaders in both the National Assembly and Senate, Aden Duale and Kipchumba Murkomen.
Read more of this story on the STAR
Leave a Reply