Division over new look Kenyan Cabinet

The Cabinet reshuffle by President Uhuru Kenyatta has elicited mixed reactions from across the country.

The reshuffle saw the introduction of an Opposition Member of the National Assembly and a senator into the Cabinet. Five Cabinet secretaries implicated in graft were also axed.

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi said the changes made by President Kenyatta do not meet conditional quotas for regional and gender balance.

“The original six women have been reduced to five in a Cabinet of twenty-one. The appointments score high on the exclusivity test,” Mr Mudavadi said. In a statement to released by his press secretary Kibisu Kabatesi, Mudavadi said Kenyans expected a breath of fresh air in a reconstituted Cabinet.

“A reconstituted Cabinet would have been in such a way as to make all the people of Kenya to feel part of Government. There was disappointment in Kirinyaga where former Devolution and Planning Cabinet Secretary, Anne Waiguru hailed from,” he said.

Two Kirinyaga MCAs John Gitari (Kangai) and John Waruri (Kanyekini) wondered why the President had side-lined the area yet other communities whose Cabinet secretaries were dismissed got replacements.

“Since Anne Waiguru was from our county, we expected the President whose Government we overwhelmingly supported, to pick her successor from here but instead we have been sidelined,” Mr Gitari claimed.

But former Assistant Minister Nderitu Mureithi welcomed the appointment of Mwangi Kiunjuri as Devolution cabinet Secretary.

“For over 30 years, Laikipia has not had a minister since the days of GG Kariuki. We thank the President for the appointment and congratulate Mr Kiunjuri,” Mr Mureithi said.

However, Western Kenya MPs Eseli Simiyu (Tongaren), Ayub Savula (Lugari), Florence Mutua (Busia County) and Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini) said the reshuffle lacked national outlook and was just a reward to political cronies.

“We thought the President would address runaway corruption in his Government but what he has done is to split departments so that when money is lost, it can’t be traced easily,” Mr Eseli said. Mr Savula explained that the reshuffle did not reflect the regional and ethnic composition of the national government.

“Uhuru is driving Busia, Vihiga and Kakamega counties into the Opposition. We will not allow ourselves to be used as voting machines to support Jubilee yet we have nothing to show for our support. What are we going to tell our people who we always encourage to support Jubilee?” Savula wondered.

But Yusuf Chanzu (Vihiga) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers Kakamega Chairman Johnstone Wabuti, welcomed the development saying it was long overdue.

“There were specific areas like Education, Devolution and Infrastructure that needed total overhaul. Apart from few politicians, we have new faces and we should give them a chance to work. It’s premature to judge,” Mr Chanzu said.

Lumping tourism

At the coast, hoteliers expressed satisfaction with the appointment of former Mvita MP Najib Balala as Tourism Cabinet Secretary.

East African Whale Shark Trust Founder Volker Bassen said Mr Balala’s reappointment to the crucial Tourism docket would help re-position the industry.

“We had our fair share of ups and down as a sector and lumping tourism together with East African Affairs and Commerce made it harder to market the sector,” Mr Bassen said.

And the Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers said Balala’s return was a good gesture. News of Jacob Kaimenyi’s appointment as Lands minister was received with jubilation in Imenti North, his home sub-county.The Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders described the appointment as a recognition of his abilities to tackle complex matters affecting the country.

Imenti North MP Rahim Dawood and Njuri Ncheke Secretary General Phares Ruteere thanked President Kenyatta for ‘promoting’ Kaimenyi. And in Nandi County there was joy following the appointment of Willy Bett, managing director of Kenya Seed Company as Cabinet secretary for Agriculture, replacing Felix Koskei while Belio Kipsang retained his position as principal secretary for Basic Education. Andrew Tuimur, also from Nandi, was named principal secretary for Livestock.