Reshuffle: Mt Kenya leaders rally for unity

Trade CS Moses Kuria and Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua have recently found themselves in a bitter exchange over high fuel prices. [File, Standard]

Wednesday’s Cabinet reshuffle by President William Ruto has been interpreted as a strategy to trim the errant Cabinet Secretaries embroiled in gaffes, underperformers and those trying to punch above their weight in his administration.

Both politicians and pundits from Mt Kenya region, however, agree that the region was the most affected in the changes and want appointed leaders to learn a lesson and unite to avert more casualties in the future.

Among those who were affected by the shake-up include Trade and Investments CS Moses Kuria, who was moved to the Ministry of Public Service, Performance and Delivery Management, Water CS Alice Wahome, who has swapped positions with Zachary Njeru of the Ministry of Lands, Public Works and Urban Development.

The reshuffle came days after Mt Kenya leaders held two separate meetings at Thika Green Hotel to discuss the way forward of the region.

A week ago, Nyeri Senator Wahome Wamatinga also confirmed to The Sunday Standard that a section of Mt Kenya leaders met with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua to discuss Kuria’s conduct, which the DP felt was insensitive and lacked empathy, especially in responding to Kenyans over the increased fuel prices.

“We concluded that we will not agree to be distracted by the noise as that will derail us from delivering our mandate. He (Kuria) has failed in his mandate and that is why he has resulted in making noise to divert that fact but the performance review will catch up with him soonest,” Wamatinga told The Sunday Standard on the phone.

Nyeri Governor Mutahi Kahiga feels Mt Kenya and Ukambani regions lost while Western gained after Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi was added the Foreign Affairs and Diaspora Affairs portfolio.

“What we need to learn as a region is that buffalos do not walk as a pack because they love each other but to shield themselves from marauding lions. Our people have been behaving as if they took themselves to those positions but they must now unite and rally behind Gachagua to avert such a move in the near future,” he told a community TV station yesterday.

He added that they must understand that the only politically indispensable leader is Gachagua and he was the only senior leader who could help them in such times.

Kuria’s tongue is believed to have cost him while Wahome’s altercation with her PS over the transfer of Sh1.3 billion water projects from Mt Kenya region could be the reason she was moved, the governor added.

On his part, Kieni MP Njoroge Wainaina observed that the disunity of Mt Kenya region leaders influenced Ruto’s move.

He also accused Kuria of poor performance and overstepping his bosses while in the Trade ministry.

“The Trade and Industrialisation looked like a Ministry of Importation so to speak because we practically imported everything. We were not in the right trajectory,” said the legislator.

He added that Kuria’s presidential-style launch of  County Aggregation Parks sent a different political messaging - that of trying to eclipse the positions of President and Deputy President and thus could have been a consideration.

“It’s a warning to us in the Mt Kenya region. A bull that is not intended for slaughter is not dared with a dagger and a tree that you do not intend to cut is not shown an axe because it will have ramifications,” he added.

Charles Njorore, a political analyst, noted that internal wrangles in the Water ministry and fights between Wahome and Murang’a leaders over water services in the country were also a factor.

“Kuria’s ministry reduces his public engagements and this looks like a political move to curtail his political ambitions while on Wahome, the President was trying to put to an end the political conflicts in Muranga and in her department,” noted Njoroge.