Uhuru Kenyatta and William Ruto fortunes in new Cabinet structure

By Stephen Makabila

While Cabinet Secretaries in the Jubilee regime are not supposed to engage in politics, there are feelings the new structure outlining roles of the 18 ministries favours President Uhuru Kenyatta’s side of the coalition.

An Executive Order dated May 20 outlines the roles of the 18 ministries   created by President Uhuru Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto.

The order reads in part: “The Government will be organised in line with the Constitution of Kenya as outlined herein. This order contains portfolio responsibilities and changes made in the structure of Government. The order supersedes presidential circular Number 1 of February 2008.”

Most crucial Government roles, political analysts point out, have been vested in the Office of the President, Interior Ministry and the Planning and Devolution Ministry, all viewed to be occupied by Uhuru’s point persons.

Head of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Nairobi Adams Oloo says although Jubilee is a coalition between TNA and URP, President Uhuru remains supreme and that explains the imbalance. “The imbalance is normal. This is a coalition but we also have to understand Uhuru is the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces,” adds Dr Oloo.

But Prof Munene Macharia of United States International University (USIU) argues power imbalance does not exist in the current administration.

“One having stronger ministries does not mean there is a power imbalance in any way. The two constituted the ministries together and made appointments together after all,” says Macharia.

Ruto’s side

Macharia says Ruto’s side of the coalition has strong ministries such as Agriculture and Finance, with equally powerful roles in the new Government structure.

“The two have also been working well and they seem to gel, meaning the coalition will remain firm and stable for the benefit of the country,” he adds.

The Executive Office of the President has diverse roles among them to direct and co-ordinate the functions of ministries and departments. 

Devolution and National Planning will oversee co-ordination of inter-governmental relations and devolution, capacity building and technical assistance to county governments.

The Cabinet Secretary in charge Ann Waiguru is to operate from State House. Political analysts view this ministry as crucial in helping the President have a firm hold on the counties and thus the grassroots.

The roles of the Interior Ministry include national government co-ordination at counties, internal State functions, national cohesion and reconciliation management and the national disaster operations centre.

Apart from issues to do with power imbalance, some ministries have also been assigned overlapping duties under the new structure.

For example, the Interior and Devolution ministries have been assigned the role of disaster and emergency management.

Whereas the Ministry of Interior will deal with “response coordination”, the Devolution ministry will be in charge of “emergencies and disasters management.”

Treasury docket

 Other examples include the case where National Treasury is supposed to be the custodian of the property and assets of the national government, while one of the functions of the Land, Housing and Urban Development Ministry is to keep an inventory of Government property.

The Agriculture ministry has also been assigned the role of formulating policy on land consolidation for agricultural benefit, while the Lands Ministry’s duties include adjudication, rural settlement planning and policy management

Dr Oloo explains if not reviewed, overlap in roles of ministries can be best sorted out through inter-ministerial committees.

“Inter-ministerial committees can be used to iron out issues of overlap to avoid conflicts or duplication of resource allocations by the Government,” he adds.

Macharia says the overlap being witnessed was expected especially after 44 ministries were collapsed into 18 ministries.

“With time, the overlap issue will be sorted out. Its part of the teething problems facing the new government in its formative stage,” he quips.