Envoys recalled as Jubilee leaders set to unveil Cabinet

By EDITH FORTUNATE efortunate@ke.nationmedia.com

Posted  Sunday, April 14  2013 

The government last evening recalled all the 52 ambassadors and High Commissioners to Kenya’s foreign missions as plans to name a Cabinet complete with new names to replace former ministries intensified.

President Kenyatta and his deputy William Ruto are expected to announce the new Cabinet this week.

A brief statement from the Office of the President , said the Ambassadors and High Commissioners have been given one week to return home.

Head of Public Service Francis Kimemia, who released the statement said recalling of the envoys was in line with reforms and redefinition of Kenya’s foreign policy by the new government.

“The charge de affairs/deputy Ambassadors or High Commissioners will look after the affairs of the foreign stations, until further notice.” Mr Kimemia said.

A list of Cabinet secretaries was ready by last week with a few adjustments being done over the weekend awaiting the major announcement expected on Wednesday.

It will be followed by a list of principal secretaries, heads of parastatals and a number of diplomats to represent Kenya globally.

In crafting the Cabinet, President Kenyatta and Mr Ruto considered geographical representation that is meant to take care of regional balancing while giving opportunity to Kenyans from all over the country.

The new Cabinet will take shape in two weeks on the maximum after being named. The parliamentary vetting and report preparing process takes about this amount of time.

Principal secretaries will follow after they have been interviewed by the Public Service Commission.

The names will be forwarded to parliamentary committees in charge of vetting and tabled on the floor of the House for clearance before they are sent to the President for proper appointment.

Among the hurdles that have hindered the quick naming of the Cabinet is the collapsing of the 42 ministries that formed the Grand Coalition Government, to form the constitutional threshold of between 14 and 22 ministries.

As at Saturday evening, sources indicated that the two had settled on 18 ministries and new faces which they have remained tight-lipped about.

New talent

Retaining some of the best performing principal secretaries is one of the considerations the two principals have been tackling while making sure they employ fresh faces who are efficient in their work to ensure not only a robust economy but service delivery to all.

“Some permanent secretaries will have to go home; others will be absorbed in the new dispensation. The challenges the principals are facing is who goes where and how do we incorporate new faces for service delivery and efficiency in the digital government,” said a source privy to the week long State House meeting.

Mr Kenyatta and Mr Ruto are said to have agreed on a new structure which represents a departure from the old system used since independence in which the President determined the number and type of ministries that would constitute his government.

Meanwhile, the National Assembly is expected to vote unanimously while endorsing or rejecting the names of expected Cabinet members, deputy Speaker Joyce Laboso has said.

Additional report by Oliver Musembi

Ministries likely to be merged

• National Security and Provincial Administration/Defence
• Agriculture/Livestock/Fisheries/Cooperatives/Water and Irrigation.
• Home Affairs/Immigration and Registration of Persons/National Heritage and Culture/Special Programmes/Regional Development Authorities/Development of Northern Kenya and other Arid Lands.
• Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports/Gender, Children and Social Development.
• Local Government/Nairobi Metropolitan
• Finance/Planning and National Vision 2030
• Medical Services/Public Health and Sanitation
• Education/Higher Education, Science and Technology
• Roads/Public Works/Transport
• Foreign Affairs/East African Community
• Lands/Housing
• Tourism/Forestry and Wildlife
• Energy/Environment and Mineral Resources
• Trade/Industrialisation
• Public Service/Labour Information and Communication
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