What do you think about President Uhuru Kenyatta’s radical reorganization of his administration? Will it have an impact in 2022 politics? Well, the President has established a four-tier executive authority.
The latest changes bring Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiangi to the heart of the executive.
The elevation of Matiang’i with supervisory roles across government is likely to whittle down Deputy President William Ruto’s influence.
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.
Uhuru’s decision to hand Matiang’i the elevated role comes only months after he spearheaded the merciless crackdown on the chaotic matatu industry to restore order through the enforcement of traffic rules. It is work in progress.
Matiang’i also spearheaded radical reforms in the education sector including restoring integrity in national examinations.
In a new executive order, Uhuru established four powerful committees with Matiang’i at the helm.
The Matiangi-led National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee will report directly to the President.
It would provide overall supervisory leadership throughout the delivery circle of all national government’s programmes and projects.
The President’s move is seen as a deliberate strategy to take charge of his legacy projects, especially the Big Four Agenda, coming just days after a storm in his Central Kenya backyard that he had neglected the region.
Ruto who has been the face of monitoring and commissioning of government projects is reportedly in bad books with the powerful Matiang’i. It remains unclear how the two would relate going forward, with the DP known to be traversing the country nearly every weekend to dish out development goodies.
According to the executive order dated Monday this week, Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich will deputise Matiang’i in the Cabinet sub-committee.