Cabinet kicks off two-day retreat at the Sagana State Lodge

President Uhuru Kenyatta received by Interior CS Joseph Nkaisery on arrival at Sagana State Lodge on November 25,2016. The Cabinet is on a two-day retreat at the Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County. (PHOTO: KIBATA KIHU/ STANDARD)

The Cabinet is on a two-day retreat at the Sagana State Lodge in Nyeri County, where among issues to be discussed is the battered image of the government amid corruption allegations.

Other challenges that have hindered development and achievement of set targets would also come up for discussion with Cabinet Secretaries expected to give their briefs.

The Jubilee government will also take stock of its achievements in the last four years as the country enters the election year.

“The Cabinet is expected to go through the Jubilee manifesto and look at the things the government has achieved against what was promised,” a source told The Standard on Saturday.

Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries arrived at the lodge yesterday morning before President Uhuru Kenyatta landed at 3.30pm.

Interior CS Joseph Nkaissery and his Devolution counterpart Mwangi Kiunjuri received the President, who landed at the nearby grounds in a military chopper.

New Year agenda

President Kenyatta exchanged a few pleasantries with those who received him, including Mathira MP Peter Weru and nominated MP Sarah Lekorere, before he was driven into the State Lodge in a convoy of cars.

Deputy President William Ruto was expected later in the night, having had other engagements in Mt Kenya region. Ruto had a busy day holding public functions in Tharaka Nithi and Meru counties before flying to Nyeri for the final retreat before the year closes.

The media was not allowed into the State Lodge, with State House Spokesman Manoah Esipisu saying it was a closed-door session and that a media briefing would be given later.

Coming after the weekly State House summits by various government departments were concluded, the government is expected to draw up its agenda for the New Year, which culminates in the General Election.

This would be the third retreat since President Kenyatta took power in 2013, which, unlike ordinary Cabinet meetings, is opened to PSs who are the accounting officers in ministries.

According to those who have attended previous sessions, the retreats are open and candid forums where ministries are given opportunity to discuss achievements and challenges.

A similar retreat was held in 2014 at the Mt Kenya Safari Club in Nanyuki after which the President announced austerity measures to put the development agenda on track.

It is during the meeting that the President announced that he and his deputy were leading the Cabinet in taking salary cuts and challenged other arms of government to take cue. The last retreat was in Great Rift Valley Lodge in Naivasha in April this year.