By GEOFFREY MOSOKU

Kenya: President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto sacrificed old political allies except two in the Cabinet appointments.

 They join the four Cabinet Secretaries nominated on Tuesday, but the two leaders left open the powerful portfolio of Interior and Co-ordination of National Government, which is under the Presidency, and the Labour, Social Security and Services ministry.

The delicate balancing act was discernible from Uhuru’s own admission that, unlike in the past where there existed a larger Cabinet, juggling the regional interests against the available 18 slots was not an easy task.

The new Cabinet is the first under the Constitution promulgated in 2010 and won’t be required to sit in Parliament, play any political role, or even hold any other elective or appointive office.

They bear the dreams and hopes of Kenyans, and that of Uhuru’s Jubilee team of transforming Kenya by overhauling governance structures and alignment of management of public affairs to the vibrancy and productivity of the private sector where cut-throat competition and business-like management hold sway.

The nominees, who include only two faces from the Kibaki Cabinet — Mrs Charity Ngilu and Mr Najib Balala — now await vetting and clearance by the National Assembly.

Probably to symbolise that it was now down to business, Uhuru and Ruto, though they again missed their own second deadline for giving a comprehensive list of names, turned up with matching trousers, ties and yes, white shirts with sleeves rolled up.

The Cabinet had averagely young members, with the youngest born in 1970 and the two oldest, 1952.

It also for the first time saw a woman appointed Defence minister.

There are six women among the16 Cabinet nominees so far introduced to Kenyans by the President and his deputy.

The two leaders picked a team of young and experienced people of diverse educational backgrounds and experience, among them professionals from different fields of study.

Although, the President attempted to pick a team that could represent the face of Kenya, it appeared that Central Kenya and Rift Valley where Uhuru and Ruto come from respectively, took the lion’s share.

Rift Valley and Central got four slots, North Eastern three, and one each from Eastern, Western and Coast. Nyanza got two slots.

Large Cabinet

“It wasn’t easy because we didn’t have the luxury of having a large Cabinet as was the case in the past,” said Uhuru as he unveiled the names at State House.

Missing from the list were some regional chieftains who spent months campaigning with Uhuru and Ruto in different parts of the country and who may have wanted to be part of the government.

Among them were former ministers Chirau Ali Mwakwere, Kazungu Kambi and Samuel Poghisio, all allied to Ruto and the likes of Prof Samuel Ongeri who was in The National Alliance with President Kenyatta.

Balala and Ngilu will join 14 others who are mainly technocrats drawn from the government, the private sector and the NGO-world into the Jubilee government.

Following questions by news crews, Uhuru said Ngilu and Balala were nominated on condition they relinquish their political positions and drop politics forthwith. “They will cease being politicians, we agreed they quit all political and party positions and that they will not engage in politics,’’ said the President.

The country’s immediate former ambassador to France, Ms Raychelle Omamo, was appointed Defence minister. Omamo, a lawyer and daughter of late former minister Odongo Omamo, will be making history twice after she became the first woman to chair Law Society of Kenya, in the earlier days of her law career.

“We are a nation of equal opportunities. We will ensure equal opportunities for all. She has wide experience in many areas. That experience she brings especially in our defence which is responsible for engagements with the rest of the world,” President Kenyatta explained.

Joining her in the list is Barclays Bank Chief Executive  Officer, Mr Adan Mohamed, who was nominated to the docket of Industrialisation and Enterprise Development, Roads Permanent Secretary Engineer Michael Kamau is destined to head the docket of Transport and Infrastructure while University of Nairobi’s Deputy Vice Chancellor, (Academic Affairs), Prof. Jacob Kaimenyi, has been nominated to steer the Ministry of Education.

Ruto’s United Republican Party’s Secretary General, Mr Davies Chirchir, was nominated Cabinet Secretary for Energy and Petroleum and Mrs Phyllis Chepkosgey Kandie was positioned for East African Affairs, Commerce and Tourism.

WOMEN IN CABINET

Another top performer in Treasury, Ms Ann Waiguru, is lined up for the powerful Ministry of Devolution and Planning while newcomer Felix Kosgey heads for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries.

Prof. Judy Wakhungu, the only nominee from Western Province, was put forward as Jubilee’s best bet for Environment Water and Natural Resources, and the youngest Cabinet member, Dr. Hassan Wario, proposed for Sports, Culture and Arts.

Balala was nominated as Cabinet Secretary, Mining and Ngilu to the vast Lands, Housing and Urban Development ministry.

The two politicians, who lost in the last General Election, made a comeback into the Cabinet despite Wednesday’s assurance by Ruto that no politician would be nominated as Cabinet Secretary.

However, the President defended the decision to incorporate the two who played an active role in the Jubilee campaigns, saying they had given an undertaking not to engage in active politics.

On Tuesday, the two leaders unveiled Dr Fred Matiang’i as nominee for Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), Mr Henry K. Rotich (The National Treasury), Mr James Wainaina Macharia (Health) and Ms Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs).

The Constitution providers that the Cabinet shall have not more than 22 Cabinet secretaries but the President recently announced a new structure of only 18 ministries.

Uhuru assured Kenyans that the remaining two slots would be filled soon.

The Ministry of Interior Affairs and Coordination of National Government and that of Labour, Social Security and Services remain vacant.  The two will be shared between Uhuru’s TNA and Ruto’s URP respectively.

“Yes, there are still two vacancies. We hope to fill them soon. We now want Parliament to start its role of vetting our list,” the Head of State said.

Current Head of Public Service  and Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia got a reprieve, for transitional reasons as explained by Uhuru, and will now be Secretary to the Cabinet. 

Uhuru appointed former Permanent Secretary for the scrapped Ministry for Development of Northern Kenya and Arid Lands, Mr Lawrence Lenayapa, as State House Comptroller.

“The first task we shall set up once Parliament vets them is to ensure that each comes up with a clear distinct programme on how women and young people will be mainstreamed in the ministries,” he explained.