Cabinet roundup: Ababu makes U-turn as Kuria takes on Erick Omondi

It has been a busy week for a majority of President William Ruto's Cabinet Secretaries.

They have continued to work round the clock to actualise the President's Bottom Up agenda. 

To sum it up, this is a look at how it went down this week:

Ababu Namwamba: He revoked the appointments of Carol Radul, Dennis Itumbi, Azziad Nasenya, Daniel Ndambuki and others in the Talanta Hela council and technical committees.

In a gazette notice on Friday, the CS revoked the appointments he had made earlier in the wake of the controversy surrounding the members of the council.

The CS established the Talanta Hela Council and two other Technical Committees through a Gazette Notice dated February 6, 2023.

Sports Committee chaired by Radul, a media personality was tasked with considering and proposing legislative and policy measures for the growth of sports in the country.

Kithure Kindiki: He on Wednesday toured Turkana and held a meeting with County Security and Intelligence Committee to take stock of the war against bandits.

The CS said the government will construct cross-community schools in Elgeyo Marakwet, Turkana, Samburu, Laikipia, West Pokot and Baringo to promote peaceful coexistence and integration

He further said that schools that were vandalised by bandits will be reconstructed. 

"The 15 schools that were vandalised and destroyed in Tiaty will be reconstructed. All learners must go back to school," Kindiki said.

He said the government will make sure learners are secure to facilitate uninterrupted learning.

Kindiki said the state will establish irrigation projects along the Kerio River. 

In an effort to beef up security in the county, Kindiki announced that the government will invest Sh20 billion in modern equipment and technology for security officers.

Kindiki said this will enable security officers to combat emerging and complicated crimes.

Soipan Tuya: Kenya continues to gear up towards hosting the inaugural Africa Climate Summit which will happen on September 4 to 6 in Nairobi.

Tuya this week said Africa will showcase its green growth potential to attract investments and exploit Africa's resources.

“The whole world will be invited to bring their capital to Africa to foster climate-positive green growth,” Tuya said.

Tuya called on the youth to unite and take a leading role at the African Climate Summit saying effective climate action was a whole-of-society undertaking.

Even as that happens, the CS has decried the continued use of the banned plastic bags in the country and issued a stern warning against the use of single-use plastic.

She directed the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) and County Environment Committees to have targeted and sustained enforcement of single-use plastic with immediate effect even as the country works on plastic regulation.

The CS observed that Kenya relapsed because it did not sustain its enforcement of single-use plastic after the ban in 2017.

Trade Moses Kuria and his agriculture counterpart Mithika Linturi on Wednesday met Foreign Affairs Minister S.F.Aleinik from Belarus.

The parties discussed strengthening bilateral ties between the two countries.

Kuria also took part in Citizen TV's The Big Conversation on Wednesday where he defended the three per cent housing levy.

He said the affordable housing programme will be implemented in the counties, making governors the owners of the project.

"The conversation is missing a point, the government is not the owner of this programme," he said.

The CS further launched an attack on comedian Eric Omondi over his sentiments on the Finance Bill.

Omondi had claimed that the government has not delivered its campaign promises to Kenyans.

He said the government should focus on the high cost of living rather than housing.

His sentiments made the audience burst into laughter as the host of the show tried to stop him.

In what sounded like good news to parents, Education CS Ezekiel Machogu announced that schools will receive capitation funds by Friday, June 9.

While answering questions on Wednesday from Members of Parliament, Machogu said that there was a delay in the disbursement of funds.

“I would like to inform all the MPs here that capitation funds which are the tune of Sh28 billion, the treasury was supposed to have given the funds before Friday last week but there was a delay,” Machogu said.

Machogu said he has liaised with the Treasury to release the funds since the issue is not only concerning him but the entire country.

The ministry in conjunction with Nairobi County also announced plans to provide free meals to learners in public and primary schools, under the school feeding programme.