Uhuru hands over docket to Githae
Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta (left) with the acting Finance
Minister Njeru Githae at the Treasury building on January 30, 2012.
PHOTO / DIANA NGILA
By ALPHONCE SHIUNDU ashiundu@ke.nationmedia.com
Posted Monday, January 30 2012 at 15:20
Posted Monday, January 30 2012 at 15:20
Deputy Prime Minister Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday handed
out a loaded agenda for the country’s economic future to the acting
Finance Minister Njeru Githae.
At the brief ceremony held at the Treasury Building in Nairobi,
Mr Kenyatta read out a list of six key issues that his successor at the
key docket has to deal with within the next three months.
“You’re inheriting a very strong team which will
give you all the necessary support as you go on,” said Mr Kenyatta,
shortly before he arose from his seat, handed it to Mr Githae and then
marched out of the building to an undisclosed location, ignoring calls
to respond to questions from journalists.
Though he quit as the Minister of Finance following
the confirmation of charges of crimes against humanity by the
International Criminal Court a week ago, Mr Kenyatta has held onto the
position of Deputy Prime Minister, insisting that he will not quit
unless censured by Parliament.
Mr Kenyatta listed the pending approval of the
Finance Bill 2011, the finalisation of the Supplementary Budget for the
current financial year, the conclusion of the US$600 million loan deal,
the resolution of the push and pull over the Public Financial Management
Bill, and the tabling of a Bill to reform the collection of Value-Added
Tax as among the issues that require Mr Githae’s “immediate attention
and guidance”.
“The Budget Policy Statement is expected in
Parliament by end of February 2012 and the final Budget by end of April
2012 in accordance with article 221 of the Constitution,” Mr Kenyatta
told Mr Githae at the handing-over ceremony at the Treasury.
He added that in the next fortnight, the government will get US$240 million of the US$600 million loan sourced from abroad.
The balance, Mr Kenyatta said, should be in the country’s public coffers “within a month”.
But as Mr Kenyatta reeled out the list of matters to be
given priority, his successor was apprehensive that he may have been
thrown into the deep end of the pool. He thus asked for time “to learn
the ropes”.
“Even in marriage, there’s a honeymoon. I need a
honeymoon of at least 100 days as I try to learn the ropes. I may not
know everything in monetary and economic policy, but I know where to get
it,” said Mr Githae.
Despite the clear demonstration that Mr Githae did
not have the luxury of the 100-day honeymoon that he had asked for, from
analysts and journalists, keen on the economic future of the country,
the new man at the Treasury said he was no stranger to matters finance
given his “background in banking and insurance fields”.
“I am not going to let the President down; I am not
going to let the country down and I am not to let Kenyans down,” Mr
Githae said as he noted the enormity of the challenge of managing the
country’s economy.
The acting Minister said the building of consensus with MPs on the capping of interest rates was top of his list.
“There must be a way in which we can satisfy the
borrowers. We have to get a compromise. There’s no alternative,” Mr
Githae said.
He promised to be in touch with the ad hoc House
committee investigating the rapid decline of the shilling to get their
insight on how to keep the exchange rate stable.
He rebuffed queries about his independence given that the Ministry of Finance is under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister saying he had taken over the full docket.
He rebuffed queries about his independence given that the Ministry of Finance is under the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister saying he had taken over the full docket.
“I have taken over his chair and his desk. Be under no illusion.
The minister stepped aside as the Minister of Finance. He’s still a
Deputy Prime Minister. I will report to the President and the Cabinet,”
said Mr Githae, who is still the substantive minister at the Ministry of
Nairobi Metropolitan Development.
Other issues that Mr Kenyatta placed on Mr Githae’s
in-tray are the preparation of the huge budget to prepare the ground
for devolution and the next General Election.
Permanent Secretary at the Treasury, Mr Joseph
Kinyua and assistant minister Oburu Oginga said the next physical
destination for their former boss was an “administrative matter” that
shouldn’t preoccupy the time of the acting Minister.
Mr Kenyatta’s aides echoed sentiments by Dr Oginga,
that Mr Kenyatta’s next office will be at the Shell and BP House on
Nairobi’s Harambee Avenue, opposite the Harambee House, where President
Kibaki’s office is located.
They argued that the Office of the Prime Minister,
which is housed at the Shell & BP House, was the logical step,
because Mr Kenyatta will have an office right outside the door of the
Prime Minister, his boss in Cabinet.
Mr Kenyatta’s aide said the move to Shell & BP is likely to be effected this Tuesday morning.
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