Uhuru allies plan shake-up of top State positions

President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto chairs the first cabinet meeting at State House, Nairobi. The government is awash with rumours of an impending shake-up as well as scores of top parastatal and ambassadorial appointments. FILE PHOTO 

In Summary

• In relying more on advisers rather than on his Cabinet for firm decisions, the Kenyatta administration appears to be acting like Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, whose administration has 98 advisers.
• Chief of Staff and the Head of Public Service James Kinyua, who was former permanent secretary for Finance, is now the most powerful public servant around the presidency, eclipsing Mr Francis Kimemia, who, though humbled, remains the holder of the Office of Cabinet Secretary.

By ISAAC ONGIRI
More by this Author

The government is awash with rumours of an impending shake-up as well as scores of top parastatal and ambassadorial appointments.

Almost nine months into its five-year term, the Jubilee government does not have ambassador-level representation at some of the most important stations, including Washington and London.

Faced with the numerous challenges of government, President Uhuru Kenyatta appears to be still re-calibrating his administration for greater effectiveness by picking former politicians and experts for an ad hoc advisory team, which is at times causing friction with government officials.

Appointment of advisers has unsettled some people in government, including Cabinet secretaries, some of whom privately complain that they have been bypassed when major decisions within their ministries are made.

Two operational bases have been set to accommodate the advisers at State House and Harambee House. The advisers have direct access to the President.

In relying more on advisers rather than on his Cabinet for firm decisions, the Kenyatta administration appears to be acting like Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni, whose administration has 98 advisers.

The Kenyatta advisers are currently compiling a list of fresh appointments and deciding who should be in and who should be pushed out of top State parastatals and diplomatic posts expected to be in place next month.

The group — which includes a team whose appointments are informal and which also comprise some Cabinet secretaries, technocrats, politicians and family members — has overshadowed government officers.

POWERFUL PUBLIC SERVANT

There are private complaints that this influential group has eclipsed the Cabinet from the core of decision making despite its technocratic composition.

Chief of Staff and the Head of Public Service James Kinyua, who was former permanent secretary for Finance, is now the most powerful public servant around the presidency, eclipsing Mr Francis Kimemia, who, though humbled, remains the holder of the Office of Cabinet Secretary.

Mr Kinyua will be responsible for top public appointments expected in the coming weeks, including the filling of top vacancies in various State offices such as ambassadors and heads of parastatals, among others.

“It has become very difficult to operate with all these advisers around. Now there are certain decisions we only come to learn about at the last minute. Sometimes they bypass us. It is strange,” said a Cabinet secretary who asked not to be named.

Apart from Mr Kinyua, other members of the formal advisory group include Jomo Gecaga, the President’s private secretary; Lawrence Lenayapa, the State House Comptroller; and his deputy George Kariuki; Nancy Gitau, the chief political adviser; and Abdikadir Mohammed, the senior adviser, Constitution and Legal Affairs.

Cabinet Secretaries Anne Waiguru (Devolution and Planning) and Amina Mohammed (Foreign Affairs) have emerged as the most influential ministers around the President so far.

The President’s mother, Mama Ngina Kenyatta, is also a significantly influential personality by virtue of her relationship with the Head of State.

Mr Joshua Kutuny is Mr Kenyatta’s political adviser and heads the directorate of political affairs but unlike Ms Gitau, who is based at State House, the former Cherengany MP is being accommodated at Harambee House.

Yesterday, Mr Kutuny dismissed claims that some of the President’s advisers are undermining Cabinet secretaries. “You know everybody has his role. Everybody is respected and there is no conflict or situations where individuals are undermined,” he said.

Former Cabinet minister Joseph Nyaga is the latest of those appointed as the President’s adviser. He has been named regional cooperation adviser. He was part of Mr Kenyatta’s delegation in his last week’s trip to Rwanda.