Interior Cabinet Secretary has with no doubt won the heart of President Uhuru Kenyatta. His Report card is just blossoming with “first class honours.”
The consultation between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Hon. Raila Odinga has brought out a new form of executive, The four tier executive.
CS Fred Matiang’i ascends to the helm of power in the new system of administration. Then what becomes of Deputy President William Ruto and his tangatanga team?
Describing Matiang’i’s role
Matiang’i will take charge of the implementation and monitoring of all development projects initiated and funded by the national government through a new Cabinet sub-committee.
The sub-committee will be known as the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee. It brings on board all CSs, Attorney General Kihara Kariuki and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua.
Under the new directive, the conceptualisation, monitoring, implementation and evaluation will be done right from the grassroots.
This means MPs will no longer be trooping to Ruto’s office to lobby for development projects. In a clear show of confidence in the no-nonsense Matiang’i, Uhuru also handed him the critical National Transport and Safety Authority, which was initially in the giant Transport ministry under James Macharia.
According to the executive order dated Monday this week, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich will deputise Matiang’i in the Cabinet sub-committee.
New Duties of Matiang’i
Among the central roles of the committee would be to ensure coordinated strategic communication to the public and other stakeholders in the progress of government programmes and projects.
Other functions include monitoring and evaluation of the follow-up mechanism for resources allocated for priority programmes and projects to ensure proper use and realizstion of targeted outcomes.
The committee has been given sweeping powers and could recommend termination of some contracts and recommend legal action in cases where there is presumed loss of public funds.
It will provide “timely guidance on appropriate measures to address challenges constraining effective implementation and delivery of development programmes and projects”.
Reporting to the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee is a technical team comprising 14 princiapal secretaries to be known as the National Development Implementation Technical Committee.
The committee to be chaired by Interior PS Karanja Kibicho comprises PSs overseeing the Big Four Agenda. It also brings on board Solicitor General Ken Ogeto and Head of Presidential Delivery Unit Nzioka Waita.
The Kibicho led-team will propose budgetary provisions in annual ministerial budgets and medium-term expenditure framework for priority initiatives. The team will also draw up an implementation calendar of critical government projects across the country.
It will also prepare accurate monthly progess reports on government projects and report to the Matiang’i-led Cabinet sub-committee.
This means the Deputy President will have few assignments on his plate. His influence is in some way lowered to some standards.
What do you think will be the response from his allies?