President Uhuru Kenyatta rescues Eugene Wamalwa, sacks Francis Kimemia in Cabinet reshuffle

Kenya: President Uhuru Kenyatta has made major changes to the military command and his Cabinet by retiring the influential military chief Julius Karangi and firing the experienced Secretary to the Cabinet Francis Kimemia who is being probed over graft allegations.

The President also confirmed the hackneyed political vibe – that he is out to salvage his dwindling political fortunes in the opposition bastion of Western Kenya — with the nomination of former Justice minister Eugene Wamalwa as the new Cabinet Secretary for the newly created Ministry of Water and Irrigation.

Karangi's retirement and changes in the top military command, the President said, were based on the advice of the National Defence Council which met yesterday.

"Cognisant of the need to focus attention on water as a driver of agricultural development, I have created a Ministry of Water and Irrigation Services," said Kenyatta in a dispatch from State House late yesterday.

Interior Principal Secretary Monica Juma, a career ambassador and former university lecturer, is Kimemia's proposed replacement to the Cabinet office.

Kimemia, who is out temporarily pending investigations is the first casualty, and his proposed replacement is a pointer that Kenyatta does not want him back.

His dismissal comes just a week after Kimemia said the rampant insecurity was because of inexperience among managers of the country's security.

Kimemia was a power broker in the administration of President Kibaki and people close to Kenyatta were not happy with him.

The President has also seemingly militarised the Ministry of Interior by plucking Major General (retired) Gordon Kihalangwa from the helm of the Department of Immigration.

This means the top two men at the Interior Ministry will be ex-military officers. Kihalangwa will help the Cabinet Secretary Major General (rtd) Joseph Nkaissery.

Yesterday, a fortnight after the April 2 slaughter of 148 people including 142 students at Garissa University College by the Somalia-based Al Shabaab militants, Kenyatta also changed the top military command to deal with the vacant slot left by Karangi.

Lieutenant-General Samson J Mwathethe, a career naval officer with over three decades of experience, was promoted to the rank of General and appointed him Chief of Defence Forces-Designate.

"General Dr Julius Waweru Karangi will commence the handover process starting next week pending retirement as Chief of Defence Forces after more than four decades of distinguished service to our country, the region and humankind," the President said.

The military has been under sharp focus over the delay in dealing with Al Shabaab attacks in Garissa Campus; and reports say the military was confined to man the perimeter wall and wait for the elite tactical unit to leave Nairobi and engage the terrorists.

"Further, I have appointed Lieutenant-General Joseph K. Kasaon as the Vice Chief of Defence Forces-Designate. I have also promoted Major-General Leonard M. Ngondi to Lieutenant-General and appointed him Kenya Army Commander-Designate," Kenyatta added.

The exit of Karangi just after the Garissa attacks rekindles a similar purge of a high-ranking spy chief Michael Gichangi in August last year just weeks after Al Shabaab struck Lamu and slaughtered over 50 people, and after much pressure over the Westgate attack.

It also reminds Kenyans about the 'forced' exit of former Inspector General David Kimaiyo.

But the President made it clear that the decision for Karangi to retire was due to the expiry of his contract, and that he had been advised by the National Defence Council to send him home and pick a replacement.

"Reflecting democratic values, fidelity to our Constitution in regard to the primacy of civilian oversight to the security sector, the Defence Council sat today and agreed on the succession of another set of general staff officer cadre to lead our Defence Forces," Kenyatta said.

The same way he thanked Gichangi for his "commitment, dedication and professionalism, for which our country is grateful" the President had a similar message for Karangi.

"I take this opportunity to thank General Karangi for his dedicated service to Kenya that was marked by diligence, great commitment, humility and patriotism. General Karangi leaves our Defence Forces in a much better place both professionally and operationally," said Kenyatta in his brief yesterday.

The youngest beneficiary in the changes is 39-year-old lawyer and communications professional Nzioka Waita, the current Director of Corporate Affairs at Safaricom. He has been appointed Secretary of Delivery in the Executive Office of the President.

He said the changes were "part of the continued alignment of functions in my administration, and in order to enhance service delivery."