The Head of the Public Service is pretty powerful and pivotal.
During the Kibaki years, Ambassador Francis Muthaura, a career diplomat, was appointed at a time of national transformation when Kenya was transiting from the monolithic Kanu rule.
As Head of Public Service and Secretary to the Cabinet, Muthaura as also chair of the powerful National Security Advisory Committee and when Kibaki was rendered indisposed following a road accident in the run up to the 2002 elections, Muthaura was all but acting president.
He was later forced out of office after being fingered among six International Criminal Court suspects who allegedly planned the 2007/8 post-election violence.
The matter was later dropped.
In between overhauling the civil service to what it is today, Muthaura also became the second longest serving holder of the job before handing over to Francis Kimemia, now Laikipia Governor.
Kibaki appointed Kimemia Head of Civil Service and Secretary to the Cabinet at the tail end of his rule in 2012. Kimemia was fished from the Ministry of State in the Office of the President where he was Permanent Secretary for Provincial Administration and Internal Security.
He proved instrumental as chairman of the Assumption of Office of President Committee in the handover of power from Kibaki to Uhuru Kenyatta in March 2013.
Moi had Dr Richard Leakey who once slashed Ministries from 27 to 16, Africa’s largest such at the time!
The Civil Service in Kenya stretches back to 1906 when it was all white, but even after independence over 50 years ago, only one woman has headed it: Dr Sally Kosgey.
The career diplomat was Moi's last Secretary to the Cabinet and who oversaw the change of guard from Moi to President Kibaki besides managing the colourful, albeit chaotic transition from Moi to Kibaki administration.
She memorably sobbed as Moi flew out of State House, Nairobi in a military chopper to his Kabarak residence on December 30, 2002. She later became MP and Cabinet Minister.
