CS Matiang’i holds first full cabinet meeting on development

CS Fred Matiang'i Tuesday chairs his first full meeting as the chair and coordinator of government development programmes and projects.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i Tuesday chaired his first full meeting as the chair and coordinator of government development programmes and projects.

Apart from one CS said to have been out of the country, all other Cabinet Secretaries attended the meeting that began at 7.30 am at Harambee House, Nairobi.

Officials said the meeting discussed several stalled programmes and projects launched in various ministries with a call to jump start them.

The resolutions of the meeting will be communicated to the counties where officials will be asked to explain the status of the projects.

The move is in line with the president’s order last month in which he appointed Matiang’i the chairman and coordinator of government development programmes and projects.

Head of public service Joseph Kinyua who is a secretary of the committee invited the other cabinet secretaries.

This is the first such full meeting Matiang’i chaired after he was appointed as the chairman of a powerful committee on development.

Matiang’i had last week chaired a meeting of six other Cabinet Secretaries and Members of parliament from Nyanza to review implementation plan for stalled, ongoing and new projects in the region.

Among the CS’ present included Simon Chelugui (Water), James Macharia (Transport), Joe Mucheru (ICT), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Agriculture), Nelson Gachuihie (CAS Finance) and Technical and Vocational Training PS Kevit Desai.

Matiang’i said the meeting followed a directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta for the review after he toured the region. Local leaders complained of many stalled projects.

Last week, President Kenyatta warned some of his cabinet members against politicking and shape up or quit.

Matiang’i will now chair the National development implementation and communication cabinet committee whose vice chairperson will be national treasury and planning Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich.

Members of the committee include all Cabinet Secretaries, the Attorney General Paul Kihara while head of the Public Service forms the secretariat.

According to Executive Order number 1 of 2019 signed in Mombasa on January 21, Matiang’i will report to the president.

“The composition of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee and other specified Committees for delivery and oversight of national government development programmes and projects shall be organized as set out in the structure detailed in the schedule hereto,” read part of the order.

In his new powerful role, Matiang’i will now provide supervisory leadership throughout the delivery circle of all national government programmes and projects.