Don't join politics now, President Uhuru asks three Cabinet Secretaries

President Uhuru Kenyatta has asked three Cabinet Secretaries not to vie for political seats and instead concentrate on their executive positions and help the Jubilee Government in service delivery, The Standard on Saturday has learnt.

In a private evening meeting at State House two weeks ago, President Kenyatta asked Devolution Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, his water counterpart Eugene Wamalwa and Joseph Nkaissery, the Interior and Coordination CS to shelve their 2017 political ambitions.

According to a source, the meeting held on Saturday January 14 after Uhuru met Maasai leaders did not last long. “The brief meeting started at around 5pm and ended just before dusk.

During the meeting, Uhuru was clear that he wanted the CSs in government to continue implementing the Jubilee manifesto and service delivery,” said the source privy to the meeting.

Kiunjuri had declared interest to unseat Laikipia Governor Joshua Irungu while Wamalwa is said to be torn on whether to run for governor in Nairobi or in Trans Nzoia.

It was not clear why Nkaissery was in the same meeting given that he has hardly declared interest in any political post.

The source said President Kenyatta firmly told his ministers that he would not support any of them if they decided to run for political seats in the August polls.

“The president was clear that he would not endorse or support any of them,” said the source.

On Monday while in tour of Laikipia County, President Kenyatta told the minister during a rally not to leave the Cabinet for an elective seat.

“Please allow me to have Kiunjuri in my government for the next five years because he is among my strong political protectors. I will release him in 2022,” said Uhuru.

And in Tuesday’s press briefing after distributing relief food in Ngaremara, Isiolo, Kiunjuri said he would not vie for any political seat.

“I have been given an order and the chapter is closed and so I will am not vying,” he said.

It is not clear if Wamalwa will shelve his ambition and continue to serve beyond the February 7 deadline that requires all State officers relinquish their seats if interested in a political post.

State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu said he was not privy to the discussion and added that the President often meets with his Cabinet to discuss issues of national importance.