Saturday, January 8, 2011

Reshaping Cabinet

By JUMA KWAYERA
Senior Writer
Fears that several ministers could face criminal charges or investigations over allegations of irregularities has forced the Executive to put on hold a Cabinet reshuffle that should have come into force last Saturday.
Sources close to President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga divulged that in the wake of Thursday’s meeting between the two principals, demands to fast-track the implementation of the new new Constitution and the pressure to purge the Cabinet of corrupt individuals may force the Executive to effect the changes later this month or next month.
We have learnt that some of the ministries that could be affected are Defence, which has been rocked by multi-billion procurement scandals, Internal Security, Foreign Affairs, which is still smarting from allegations of irregular acquisition and disposal of embassy properties abroad, Immigration, Water, Education and Constitutional Affairs.
Possible replacementsThe principals are also shopping for substantive holders of the dockets of Higher Education, Industrialisation and Finance in the event that the International Criminal Court (ICC) indicts Eldoret North MP William Ruto, Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta and Tinderet MP Henry Kosgey.
The thrust of the reshuffle was also meant to inject professionalism in the Cabinet, which, sources say, was intended to be President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga’s ‘mid-term’ self-evaluation of the Grand Coalition Government.
President Kibaki’s party chief political strategist, Prof Peter Kagwanja, confirmed that the Thursday meeting of the two principals discussed at length the imminent reshuffle, which should also see changes in the upper cadres of the civil service.
"Some of the ministries that need substantive ministers are sensitive. The investigations by the KACC on a number of ministers and election petitions others face are making it difficult for the Executive to execute its mandate," says Kagwanja.
Without giving details, he said the President intends to get rid of ministers who have in the past been implicated in corruption, abuse of office or crime.
Anti-graft radarThe desire for a reshuffle has been given impetus by ongoing investigations by the KACC Director PLO Lumumba into allegations of impropriety in several ministries.
Dr Lumumba had previously announced he had 16 ministers on his anti-graft radar before he scaled down the number to four.
Data released by Treasury last October shows that every year, corruption and mismanagement of public funds rob the Exchequer of Sh270 billion, or a third of the annual budget.
In the new Cabinet that was initially planned for unveiling on January 1, the Executive planned to match professional skills and experience to ministerial dockets. The approach, if implemented, will be a major departure from tradition where political patronage and regional considerations determine appointments.
However, the uncertainty precipitated by fraud charges against the former Industrialisation Minister Henry Kosgey and suspended Minister for Higher Education William Ruto in addition to the looming investigations of the six post-election violence suspects by ICC put the reshuffle in a quandary.
The cases and the ICC investigations have thrown into disarray plans for Cabinet changes that would also have been used to convince donors that the reform agenda is on course.
The ministers, two of whom are on the list of the six post-election suspects named by ICC Chief Prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo, were forced to step.
The Cabinet has increasingly been on the spot over alleged incompetence, with service delivery being a casualty of the incongruity in the governing grand coalition.
"We are in a seismic moment. The changes are going to be far reaching with security and constitutional implementation being given priority.
"The era of appointing ministers for political convenience is gone. We are going to see a more assertive Kibaki as he aligns the Cabinet to the new Constitution," says Kagwanja.
Political situationDeputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi confirmed through the Director of Communications in his office, Dr Kibisu Kabatesi, that the reshuffle has been on the cards after the promulgation of the new Constitution but cannot be effected because of the prevailing political situation.
Kabatesi says the prevailing political climate after criminal charges were brought against Kosgey and Ruto, both from Raila’s ODM party, does not favour a reshuffle.
Kosgey and Ruto are on the list of post-election violence suspects that also includes Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Uhuru Kenyatta, Head of Civil Service Francis Muthaura, former Police Commissioner Hussein Ali and Kass FM radio presenter Joshua arap Sang.
The Minister of Constitutional Affairs Mutula Kilonzo has lately come under criticism by MPs in President Kibaki’s party for refusing to support their move to root for Kenya’s withdrawal from the Rome Statute.
Public scrutinyThe ministries of Finance, Education, Security, Defence, Transport, Immigration, Water, Health and Livestock Development have in recent months come under public scrutiny over their performance and allegations of financial improprieties.
The two principals are grappling with the need to reorganise their ministers vis-‡-vis regional political sensitivities.
"A reshuffle would be deemed brutal. It would create the impression the principals were behind the tribulations of the minister or wanted to take advantage of the situation to rid the Cabinet of rebels," says Kabatesi.
Former Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetang’ula of PNU is under investigation for financial irregularities at Kenya embassies in Nigeria, Egypt, Pakistan, Belgium and Tokyo where the Government lost almost Sh2 billion through questionable procurement deals.
Asked if he was aware of the looming reshuffle, Fisheries Minister Jefa Kingi, answered in the affirmative, but could not put a date on when the changes would have been effected or what had necessitated the reorganisation of the 44-member Cabinet, which the public has often criticised as bloated.
The civil society has been calling for its trimming in line with the Constitution that caps the number at 24.

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