Uhuru throws out 13 ministers as he starts to build new Cabinet

In a thunderbolt delivered on a weary Friday afternoon, President Uhuru Kenyatta in one fell swoop dumped 13 men and women who propped his first Cabinet.

In the national announcement preceded by a soothing preamble on education matters, the President retained only six Cabinet Secretaries and nominated three fresh faces.

Home-bound after Friday’s shocker are all the five women Cabinet Secretaries and eight of their male colleagues.

They include the acclaimed Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs), Sicily Karuiki (Public Service, Youth and Gender), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution), Dan Kazungu (Mining), Hassan Wario (Sports), Jacob Kaimenyi (Lands) and Willy Bett (Agriculture).

Partial announcement

Others are Raychelle Omamo (Defence), Eugene Wamalwa (Water), Judy Wakhungu (Environment), Adan Mohammed (Industrialisation), Phyllis Kandie (Labour) and Cleopa Mailu (Health).

Retained to continue serving in the Cabinet are Henry Rotich (National Treasury), Charles Keter (Energy), Joseph Mucheru (ICT), James Macharia (Transport) and Fred Matiang’i (Interior and Coordination of National Government and acting Education) and Najib Balala (Tourism).

Deputy President William Ruto was missing by his boss’s side when the sackings were made. The President held the public announcement just hours after he issued a public resolve to decisively deal with the corruption menace that afflicted his first term.

The partial announcement of the Cabinet followed months of anxiety during which delegations, community elders and other intercessors begged the President to either retain their CSs or appoint others.

“I wish to state that I am retaining the following in my Cabinet and will reassign them their duties in accordingly with Article 52(5) (a),” said the President, during a live TV broadcast address.

He said the retained CSs and new nominees are the “men and women” who will join him in delivering his promises to Kenyans. To replace the departing CSs is ex-Turkana Senator John Munyes, former Marsabit Governor Ukur Yattani and immediate former Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Keriako Tobiko, who resigned his position to join the Cabinet.

The President did not name their portfolios but announced that their names had been forwarded to National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi for vetting and approval.

Tobiko’s pick by the President was a bolt from the blue as he has been sitting at the helm of one of the country's most powerful offices post-2010 Constitution.

In the changes announced, the President also re-jigged his State House team and the National Police Service (NPS), the latter which has been on the receiving end over brutality accusations in the last few months.

The fate of the three former police bosses now lies with the Public Service Commission (PSC) which has to find them some soft-landing.

“In order to enhance service delivery and efficiency in the police service, I have made the following changes for redeployment to the PSC for further redeployment,” he said.

At his office, the President retained Joseph Kinyua as the Head of Public Service, promoted Nzioka Waita to Chief of Staff and Head of Presidential Delivery Unit and in another bolt from the blue, promoted Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Wanyama Musiambo to deputise Kinyua.

More slots

Former Nakuru Governor Kinuthia Mbugua landed the plum job of State House Comptroller, replacing Lawrence Lenayapa who has been named Kenya’s Ambassador to the Netherlands.

The 2010 Constitution allows for a maximum of 22 Cabinet Secretaries. The fate of Attorney General Githu Muigai remains unknown.

The President still has 13 slots to play around with in fulfilling gender, regional and affiliate party balance. The four big plans under Uhuru’s focus in his second-term targets food security, affordable housing, expanding manufacturing and affordable health care for all.

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