ARE MUDAVADI AND OJODE DAYS IN CABINET NUMBERED?

ARE MUDAVADI AND OJODE DAYS IN CABINET NUMBERED?
« Thread Started Yesterday at 5:49pm »

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There is information leaking from the corridors of power that President Kibaki and Prime Minister Odinga have held consultations and agreed on a mini-cabinet reshuffle that will be announced in the next few days, possibly while Raila is away on a visit to the USA.

One major casualty of this mini re-shuffle will be none other than Joshua Orwa Ojode, the fiercely independent ODM MP for Ndhiwa and loyal assistant minister for Assistant Minister for Internal Security.

Ojode has been deemed by most Kenyans as the defacto minister for internal security given that he has been answering most if not all questions of this sensitive docket in parliament for as long as the grand coalition has been in power. Ojode has done a good job of being loyal to his work in parliament and steering clear of deadly ODM politics in Luo Nyanza.

But recent events, more particularly the alleged assasination attempt of Prime Minister Raila Odinga and the alleged abduction of Gitobu Imanyara may have forced PM Odinga to consider effecting a change-of-guard in this sensitive docket. The PM has been asked to consider replacing Ojode as ODM's minister in this high profile docket
that has raised Ojode's political and personal premium amongst his colleagues. President Kibaki, PM Odinga and most of senior cabinet ministers were in Ndhiwa to attend the funeral of Ojode's father but the President and most of his ministers totally snubbed President Museveni's visit to Kisumu in the same region.

That the PM's security had to be beefed following the revelations of Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo, whether true, false or exaggerated, while the party has a ' resident representative' in the Internal Security Ministry wo kept his silence all along has raised serious doubts in the minds of some of the people working closely with the Prime Minister. His off-hand response to these issues have painted him as uncaring and insensitive to threats targetting ODM leaders and supporters.

Gitobu Imanyara appears to be set to play a critical role in Raila's 2012 presidential campaign especially in vote rich territory previously considered hostile to ODM but that which has had a change of mind with Kibaki's impending retirement.

Another likely victim of the impending cabinet reshuffle is said to be DPM Musalia Mudavadi, who was seen heartily chatting with his boss PM Odinga earlier in parliament today. Mudavadi, like Balala, has public announced that his political loyalties lay elsewhere and not within ODM. Rather than be accused of double standards when he took action to suspend Balala, Raila is now said to be keen to push Mudavadi out and appoint someone else whom will add value to ODM as a party and ultimately play a key role in the party's 47-county presidential campaign plan.

It is not clear if Mudavadi may use KKK adherents in parliament to cling to the DPM's post like his PNU colleague Uhuru has done, but one this is clear; It will be suicide for Raila to leave a potential presidential opponent Mudavadi to head the Local Government docket considering the proximity of this ministry to devolved governments that the new constitution has created.

One must remember the even when parliament is disolved in 2012, existing members of cabinet continue to undertake official work until the new elected cabinet is sworn in and an official handing over done. That may well be sometime in mid-2012 and having the right people in right positions during the forthcoming transition may make a difference.

But like we said, these are all in the grapevine and we have to wait and see if Kibaki will be willing to facilitate Raila's succession plan into the cabinet re-shuffle.

(unedited)

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