President Uhuru Kenyatta is planning a major cleaning out of his 19-member Cabinet and creation of a fresh 22-member team.
The President met most of his Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries on Wednesday and told them to their face that most will exit after his second term
begins.
Uhuru will be sworn in on Tuesday next week and on the same day is expected to reveal his vision for the country.
The Star interviewed five people close to the presidency to piece together a picture of the new team and the forces shaping it.
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The new almost-complete list is a closely guarded secret. It has been changing and there's still some flux. For the past week, only Uhuru and DP William Ruto know who's in and who's out and who's borderline.
The Cabinet to help him implement his vision for the next five years will be revealed soon after Tuesday but before December 12, Jamhuri Day.
“He (Uhuru)
made it clear there is going to be a massive clear-out of the Cabinet and fresh people will come in,” a source who was in the meeting told the Star yesterday.
The President made the remarks when he met his economic team at Treasury. That team is comprised of three quarters of his ministers and key PSs.
“He was very clear it is not going to be business as usual once he is sworn in," the source said.
Crafting the new Cabinet has been a very tightly controlled by Uhuru and Ruto. Despite this, those interested and current CSs have been lobbying State House operatives.
The Cabinet is expected to be expanded to the constitutional maximum of 22, so Kenyatta can accommodate various interests and reward supporters during his campaigns.
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The radical changes will also affect Principal Secretaries and most will be given the sack. The Constitution limits the number of Cabinet Secretaries but not the number of PSs.
Uhuru can appoint as many as he wants and he is likely to name quite a few to head state departments.
Those who appear safe are Fred Matiang'i (Education and Ag Interior), Najib Balala (Tourism), Mwangi Kiunjuri (Devolution), Amina Mohamed (Foreign Affairs), Charles Keter (Energy) and Eugene Wamalwa (Water).
Those said to be on the chopping block are
Dan Kazungu (Mining), Rachel Omamo (Defence), Phyllis Kandie (EAC), Jacob Kaimenyi (Lands), Hassan Wario (Sports), Cleopa Mailu (Health), Judy Wakhungu (Environment), Adan Mohammed (Industrialisation) and Willy Bett (Agriculture).
Those said to be borderline are Joe Mucheru (ICT), Sicily Kariuki (Youth and Public Service), Henry Rotich (Treasury), and James Macharia (Transport).
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Yesterday the Star was told the President will rationalise PS positions to reflect competences and regional interests.
The president will seek to rationalise PS positions to reflect competence and regional interests.
“Currently, some regions produce many PSs, like Central, which has seven, while Western only has two," a senior government source told the Star, asking not to be named because he is not authorised to speak to the media.
In the new arrangement, Central will have fewer than four, while Western, Nyanza, Coast and Ukambani will have more slots, he said.
“It is a tough balancing act but the President wants to reach out and serve all Kenyans in his last term,” the official said.
Although the PSC advertised, interviewed and short-listed people for PS, it is understood the commission has been asked to undertake further interviews and short-list more people by next week.
The presidency appears to want some people, including political rejects who had not applied for PS positions, to be interviewed by the PSC so they can be rewarded for supporting Jubilee.
While campaigning for the August 8 General Election, Kenyatta went round promising supporters there was enough room for all of them in government. To keep his promises he needs to name more people, especially as PCs and to lucrative parastatal posts and diplomatic positions.
After the Supreme Court annulled his election, Uhuru went on a shopping spree, bringing into his fold opposition politicians who election.
They include former governors like David Nkedianye (Kajiado), John Mruttu (Taita Taveta), Peter Munya (Meru), former MPs like Gideon Mungaro (Kilifi North), Ababu Namwamba (Budalang'i) and former Senators Hassan Omar (Mombasa) and David Musila (Kitui). They too hope the President and DP will hand them positions.
Uhuru’s Cabinet will also be informed by succession politics and DP Ruto also wants to position his allies in influential positions to help in his presidential bid in 2022.
Traditionally a President in his last term is more concerned about his legacy and managing succession, issues that also concern Uhuru.
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Emerging from a bitter campaign and rerun boycotted by NASA leader Raila Odinga, Uhuru is expected to prioritise nation cohesion, fighting corruption with greater zeal and focussing on health and infrastructure, his legacy projects.
Yesterday the President said food security will be high on his agenda and he asked politicians to focus on development, not politics.
"We cannot achieve development with tribalism and politics all the time. Allow me to work for five years, then go," he said in Kirinyaga during the groundbreaking for the Sh20 billion Thiba Dam.
Kenyatta called on county governments to partner with the national government in coming up with projects to improve livelihoods.
“We should be able to sit and agree on value addition. We want to process our tea, coffee and milk.
We want value addition so as to create jobs for our young people,” he said.
Uhuru was accompanied by Deputy President Ruto accompanied Governor Anne Waiguru and DP Ruto.
The Deputy President left gathering in stitches after he said they chose to hold their first public function in Kirinyaga since it is "close to God".
"It is regrettable that some leaders in the country do not believe in God," he said.
Yesterday Uhuru also invited NASA leader Raila Odinga to work with his administration so they can spur development.
He lashed out at political analysts on TV and complained that he had been turned away from stations and newspapers.