A number of cabinet secretaries who resisted the new role of Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as the head of Cabinet committee on service delivery were allied to Deputy President William Ruto, details have come to the fore.
The Cabinet ministers who got their seats courtesy of Dr Ruto were keen on supporting his presidential ambition with hope they will be guaranteed plum positions, again, if he wins once President Kenyatta retires.
When Dr Matiang’í was appointed, there was open defiance among his colleagues in what almost paralysed operations of the committee.
Dr Ruto even hosted his trusted allies at his Harambee Annex offices for hours to dissect the import of the development in the larger operations of government as well as what it meant for his State House bid.
The thinking in Dr Ruto’s camp is that naturally and by virtue of being the President’s principal assistant, he should have chaired the committee.
The resistance invited Mr Kenyatta’s intervention. He is said to have asked those not willing to toe the new order to quit.
“During today’s Cabinet meeting I reminded our Cabinet secretaries that there are many young Kenyans who are willing and ready to work if they felt they are not up to task. Those who’ve chosen to keep politicking instead of serving the people should be ready to give way,” Mr Kenyatta told wananchi in Kitengela on his way to Tanzania.
His explanation comes in the wake of simmering tension in the Cabinet with ministers allied to the Deputy President William Ruto sulking over his elevation, which they believe was meant to undermine the second in command ahead of the 2022 elections.
He also sought to downplay ‘super minister tag’, a strategic move that is perhaps meant to reduce the tension with colleagues.
“At Cabinet level we do not have shallow insecurities because we know each one of us is uniquely qualified to do what the others can. As you saw from the President’s communique, this committee is not a one man show but rather a committee constituting almost the whole wing of the Executive,” he said.
The reality though is that his colleagues see him as being ‘first among equals’.