This was unexpected if you ask me. From nowhere President Uhuru Kenyatta just changes his style of administration.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has adopted a four tier executive system of authority. CS Fred Matinag’i ascends into the center of power being the main man overseeing the governments projects. What becomes of Deputy President William Ruto?
His influence with no doubt has been clipped.
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.
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.
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 realization of targeted outcomes.