Get the Cabinet right for Kenya to strike desired growth trajectory

President Uhuru Kenyatta addressing the nation at State House, Nairobi [Courtesy]

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s part announcement of his new Cabinet is a breath of fresh air after a stifling, stale political season. The Head of State should use this opportunity to hit the reset button in a country crying out for a new beginning after a bruising and prolonged electioneering period.

The next names he announces to the nation should espouse values of togetherness, peace and brotherhood as envisioned in our national anthem. His first term has been a mixed bag of fortunes and rarely in life do people get opportunities, such as the one he has got, for do-overs.

We strongly urge the President to get his Cabinet right this time. Being his last term, he has no place playing politics with the positions at his disposal.

Instead, he should use his power as enshrined in the Constitution by nominating individuals who will help him further his dream for a great Kenya. The new team should help build a self-sufficient country that looks eagerly to the future rather than timidly and fearfully.

This way, the country he inherited from his predecessor Mwai Kibaki will once again have reason to smile and reason to be optimistic.

Currently, majority of Kenyans feel like the odds have been highly stacked against them. And that nobody apart from their God is looking out for them. A properly constituted, well-balanced Cabinet free of long-known political wheeler-dealers will go a long way into planting a hint of a smile on Kenyans’ faces.

Many Kenyans hope that the chosen few will help drive the President’s vision of a corruption-free, healthier and more financially stable Kenya. Go forth, Mr President! Make your last Cabinet count for something. Get the right people in the right ministries. No pressure though, a mere 45 million Kenyans depend on you for a fresh start.