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- Jan 30, 2008
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Anxiety as Uhuru plans shake-up of top jobs
President Uhuru Kenyatta shares a word with his deputy William Ruto at a past function. Anxiety is sweeping across the top echelons of the government over expectations of a major reorganisation by the President that could displace dozens. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
By ISAAC ONGIRI
[h=3]In Summary[/h]
Anxiety is sweeping across the top echelons of the government over expectations of a major reorganisation by President Uhuru Kenyatta that could displace dozens.
Sources say the President and his Deputy William Ruto met on Friday morning to discuss the possible appointments and sackings a day after the countrys top spymaster Maj Gen Michael Gichangi resigned suddenly for personal reasons.
His resignation as head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) comes at a time when the Jubilee government is facing major security challenges and calls for a referendum which Cord and Governors are separately pushing .
Last month, Cord leader Raila Odinga pushed up political temperatures with calls for national dialogue in the wake of a wave of terrorist attacks.
When President Kenyatta declined to have dialogue, Cord turned to calls for a referendum for which Mr Odinga and fellow leaders in the coalition are already rallying Kenyans behind. President Kenyatta and his deputy have resisted the calls and said it would amount to a waste of taxpayers money. The focus of the changes would be in the security sector and the reorganised parastatals where the President is expected to name chairmen of various boards and set the stage for the appointment of parastatal chiefs by the reconstituted boards.
Thursdays appointments were telling in the appointment of Jubilee allies such as former Cabinet ministers Sam Ongeri, Njeru Githae and Chirau Ali Mwakwere, and former Air Force Commander Joff Otieno to ambassadorial positions.
WIDEN NATIONAL LOOK
Analysts see it as a move to widen the national look of the government and firm up Jubilees political footing as the push for a referendum continues.
Former Cabinet ministers Raphael Tuju and Eugene Wamalwa have also been recently cited in presidential meetings, heightening speculation that they could be joining government.
Several parastatals have been merged and dozens of their current chiefs are expected to be retired or redeployed when the new establishments are set up. The parastatal shake-up is also expected to bring in new faces.
Sources in government have indicated that the changes could also affect the Cabinet as the President moves to strengthen his administration and possibly bring in appointees with some political acumen.
State House on Saturday confirmed that more appointments are expected in diplomatic and other key government sectors.
The President said more appointments will be made in due course and that remains the case. The President and the Deputy President meet regularly to discuss various issues affecting the nation, region and the globe. We dont speculate over their every conversation, said State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu when asked whether the two leaders had met on Friday to discuss the impending changes.
Systemic failures
For instance, there has been a strong push to have Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku removed over systemic failures in the management of the security docket but the President has stood his ground.
On Thursday the President Kenyatta moved career administrator Mutea Iringo from the Interior docket swapping him with Dr Monica Juma, who until Thursday served as Defence PS.
KEY POLITICAL FIGURES
Some key political figures allied to Jubilee are said to have presented lists to the President and are waiting for their candidates to be considered.
The President also made several changes in the diplomatic service. Kenyas ambassador to Egypt Dave Arunga was replaced by Maj-Gen Otieno.
Other diplomats affected by the changes include George Owuor (Tanzania), Arun Suge (Sudan), Florence Weche (India), Peter Gitau (Windhoek), Ephrain Ngare (London) and Rashid Ali (Tehran).
Those who served as career diplomats would be redeployed when they arrive back home. But political appointees have to go home, said an official at the ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The President also moved Kenyas ambassador to Somali Josephat Maikara to the newly created mission in Luanda, Angola, leaving a vacuum at the sensitive Somali mission.
The President has pledged that more appointments will come. Mogadishu and the rest will be taken care of then, Mr Esipisu said yesterday.
Some Cabinet Secretaries have lately come out to show how much they have done by booking media spaces and campaigning for major TV shows to discuss their achievements.
This week, those who travelled with President Kenyatta to the US held a joint news conference to announce to the country what achievements that trip had arrived at.
Agriculture CS Felix Koskei this week fired the entire Kenya Meat Commission board and announced there would be further changes during a visit there on Saturday in a move aimed at saving the troubled parastatal.
He also sent home the chief executives of the Horticultural Development Corporation and Kephis.
On his part, the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Information, Communication and Technology Fred Matiangi has also been out in the media to enumerate his achievements.
Mr Gichangi suddenly resigned from his position as changes lurk in the military where Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) chief Julius Waweru Karangi will retire in the coming months.
Gen Karangi has been at the helm for three years but will turn 64 in April which, going by a statement issued by Defence Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo, should be the end of his four decades in the armed forces.
Gen Karangi would require ample time to hand over to his successor.
Unlike the boardroom decision taken in the case of the KDF chief, Mr Gichangis successor will be nominated by the President for approval by Parliament.
Anxiety as Uhuru plans shake-up of top jobs - News - nation.co.ke
President Uhuru Kenyatta shares a word with his deputy William Ruto at a past function. Anxiety is sweeping across the top echelons of the government over expectations of a major reorganisation by the President that could displace dozens. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
By ISAAC ONGIRI
[h=3]In Summary[/h]
- Sources in government have indicated that the changes could also affect the Cabinet as the President moves to strengthen his administration and possibly bring in appointees with some political acumen.
- Analysts see it as a move to widen the national look of the government and firm up Jubilees political footing as the push for a referendum continues.
- Some key political figures allied to Jubilee are said to have presented lists to the President and are waiting for their candidates to be considered.
Anxiety is sweeping across the top echelons of the government over expectations of a major reorganisation by President Uhuru Kenyatta that could displace dozens.
Sources say the President and his Deputy William Ruto met on Friday morning to discuss the possible appointments and sackings a day after the countrys top spymaster Maj Gen Michael Gichangi resigned suddenly for personal reasons.
His resignation as head of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) comes at a time when the Jubilee government is facing major security challenges and calls for a referendum which Cord and Governors are separately pushing .
Last month, Cord leader Raila Odinga pushed up political temperatures with calls for national dialogue in the wake of a wave of terrorist attacks.
When President Kenyatta declined to have dialogue, Cord turned to calls for a referendum for which Mr Odinga and fellow leaders in the coalition are already rallying Kenyans behind. President Kenyatta and his deputy have resisted the calls and said it would amount to a waste of taxpayers money. The focus of the changes would be in the security sector and the reorganised parastatals where the President is expected to name chairmen of various boards and set the stage for the appointment of parastatal chiefs by the reconstituted boards.
Thursdays appointments were telling in the appointment of Jubilee allies such as former Cabinet ministers Sam Ongeri, Njeru Githae and Chirau Ali Mwakwere, and former Air Force Commander Joff Otieno to ambassadorial positions.
WIDEN NATIONAL LOOK
Analysts see it as a move to widen the national look of the government and firm up Jubilees political footing as the push for a referendum continues.
Former Cabinet ministers Raphael Tuju and Eugene Wamalwa have also been recently cited in presidential meetings, heightening speculation that they could be joining government.
Several parastatals have been merged and dozens of their current chiefs are expected to be retired or redeployed when the new establishments are set up. The parastatal shake-up is also expected to bring in new faces.
Sources in government have indicated that the changes could also affect the Cabinet as the President moves to strengthen his administration and possibly bring in appointees with some political acumen.
State House on Saturday confirmed that more appointments are expected in diplomatic and other key government sectors.
The President said more appointments will be made in due course and that remains the case. The President and the Deputy President meet regularly to discuss various issues affecting the nation, region and the globe. We dont speculate over their every conversation, said State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu when asked whether the two leaders had met on Friday to discuss the impending changes.
Systemic failures
For instance, there has been a strong push to have Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph ole Lenku removed over systemic failures in the management of the security docket but the President has stood his ground.
On Thursday the President Kenyatta moved career administrator Mutea Iringo from the Interior docket swapping him with Dr Monica Juma, who until Thursday served as Defence PS.
KEY POLITICAL FIGURES
Some key political figures allied to Jubilee are said to have presented lists to the President and are waiting for their candidates to be considered.
The President also made several changes in the diplomatic service. Kenyas ambassador to Egypt Dave Arunga was replaced by Maj-Gen Otieno.
Other diplomats affected by the changes include George Owuor (Tanzania), Arun Suge (Sudan), Florence Weche (India), Peter Gitau (Windhoek), Ephrain Ngare (London) and Rashid Ali (Tehran).
Those who served as career diplomats would be redeployed when they arrive back home. But political appointees have to go home, said an official at the ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The President also moved Kenyas ambassador to Somali Josephat Maikara to the newly created mission in Luanda, Angola, leaving a vacuum at the sensitive Somali mission.
The President has pledged that more appointments will come. Mogadishu and the rest will be taken care of then, Mr Esipisu said yesterday.
Some Cabinet Secretaries have lately come out to show how much they have done by booking media spaces and campaigning for major TV shows to discuss their achievements.
This week, those who travelled with President Kenyatta to the US held a joint news conference to announce to the country what achievements that trip had arrived at.
Agriculture CS Felix Koskei this week fired the entire Kenya Meat Commission board and announced there would be further changes during a visit there on Saturday in a move aimed at saving the troubled parastatal.
He also sent home the chief executives of the Horticultural Development Corporation and Kephis.
On his part, the Cabinet Secretary in charge of Information, Communication and Technology Fred Matiangi has also been out in the media to enumerate his achievements.
Mr Gichangi suddenly resigned from his position as changes lurk in the military where Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) chief Julius Waweru Karangi will retire in the coming months.
Gen Karangi has been at the helm for three years but will turn 64 in April which, going by a statement issued by Defence Cabinet Secretary Raychelle Omamo, should be the end of his four decades in the armed forces.
Gen Karangi would require ample time to hand over to his successor.
Unlike the boardroom decision taken in the case of the KDF chief, Mr Gichangis successor will be nominated by the President for approval by Parliament.
Anxiety as Uhuru plans shake-up of top jobs - News - nation.co.ke