Key Uhuru, Ruto allies to miss out on plum positions

By Mwaniki Munuhe

Allies of President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta who might have been mentioned in previous scandals or lost their bids for elective offices may not secure Cabinet positions.

Sources say should the petition challenging the election of Uhuru be dismissed by the Supreme Court, such personalities who include prominent politicians, former ministers, and business executives, will be locked out of the list.

The move, The Standard On Sunday established, is not only aimed at winning public confidence, but also avoiding possible embarrassment in Parliament when the list of Cabinet executives is tabled for approval.

Unlike in the past, the new Constitution has given Parliament immense powers, which include vetting and approving names of persons who have been nominated by the President to hold positions of Cabinet executives, high commissioners, ambassadors and other constitutional office holders.

Equally at play, we established, is the need to nominate professionals with sufficient technical know how to run ministries.

The development comes amid intense lobbying by allies, former ministers, and other politicians who lost in the elections and who are trying to make a comeback through Cabinet appointments.

Court challenge

“Should they overcome the petition challenge, the President-elect and his deputy will surprise many people. It will not be business as usual because the usual faces will be a thing of the past. We do not want to suffer the embarrassment of taking some names to Parliament only for them to fail the integrity test. We want to start on the right foot,” said a source close to Deputy President-elect, also closely involved in the nomination of possible Cabinet secretaries. Equally significant for Jubilee should they pass the petition challenge is the need to avoid unnecessary baggage that may form the basis for criticism of a Jubilee government.

“Part of what I would call a concern for us is that by nominating people who have featured in scandals, we will be putting on our shoulders unnecessary baggage. You know every time you see some people you remember a scandal instead and that’s not good for us. We want young, energetic and professional people with sufficient synergy to implement our manifesto,” said a source.

Speaking to The Standard On Sunday, Dujis MP-elect and a key Jubilee coalition member Aden Duale, who is also poised to take the seat of Leader of Majority in Parliament said: “Jubilee wants to offer a transformation leadership. We will bring to the Cabinet men and women from the public and private sector,” he added. “They will be a digital generation with personal integrity and a proven track record,” he added.

However, we learnt, Water minister Charity Ngilu, Justice Minister Eugene Wamalwa, former Tourism Minister Najib Balala, and Deputy PM Musalia Mudavadi could be the only politicians who contested and lost in the March 4 polls who might find their way into the Jubilee Cabinet for strategic reasons.

While Ngilu and Balala held key positions in the Jubilee campaigns, Mudavadi and Wamalwa played a key role in dividing the Western vote that could have gone to rival CORD.

Those who have been mentioned for possible nomination include Head of Public Service Francis Kimemia for consideration as Cabinet Secretary in charge of Internal Security and Defence.

Others are URP Secretary General Davis Chirchir, his TNA counterpart Onyango Oloo, former Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission boss PLO Lumumba, and TNA Director of Communications Machel Waikenda. Other possible nominees include Nascop boss Ibrahim Mohamed, and dentist Aden Nur Mohamed.

The Standard On Sunday further learnt Uhuru and William Ruto declined to give in to pressure from some of their allies who got elected to the Senate and National Assembly and who wanted to resign from such positions to be considered for nomination as Cabinet secretaries.