President William Ruto is, reportedly, planning radical changes in his Kenya Kwanz leadership amid reports that a cabinet reshuffle could happen this week.
There are reports that the reorganization will see new individuals join the government as Ruto cracks the whip on former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua’s allies.
The reports have triggered creeps with some government officials on the edge as they await their fate.
In the changes expected in the course of this week, the president is expected to bring in surprise names as he fills up vacant cabinet slots and shuffle CSs across the ministries.
The Ministry of Gender, Arts and Culture is vacant after the National Assembly rejected President Ruto’s nomination of Stella Soi Lang’at in August.
Following the elevation of Kithure Kindiki to the position of deputy president, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration is also vacant.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi is acting Interior CS.
This means President Ruto will make at least two Cabinet nominations this week to fill the vacant positions.
The Constitution provides a minimum of 14 Cabinet Secretaries and a maximum of 22, excluding the president, deputy president and the Attorney General.
Multiple sources within the presidency and senior legislature ranks have told Kurunzi News that Ruto is working on significant changes.
“For your information, there are dockets like the Interior Ministry that require a substantive CS at all times given the sensitive nature of its operations. We expect the changes as early as Wednesday,’’ said a senior Kenya Kwanza official.
The official, who is aware of the planned changes, insisted that the reorganization will be far-reaching and will include a reshuffle that will see some CS reassigned ministries.
“Kenyans will see some new faces come on board while others will be reshuffled,’’ he said.
Another senior Kenya Kwanza official in the legislature corroborated the information saying there is a need to refocus the government in light of recent political developments.
He said the president would go for efficient and loyal officers to help him deliver on his agenda following the removal from office of former deputy president Rigathi Gachagua.
“Loyalty is paramount and there are no two ways about it, we expect the changes to reflect this reality,’’ he said.
There are also reports that there will be radical changes to the Principal Secretaries.
The Public Service Commission is expected to advertise some positions as part of the process to allow the president to make PS changes.
PSs are accounting officers of their state departments and ministries and are considered technocrats in their respective fields.
Several PSs allied to Gachagua’s camp are said to be targeted in the looming purge.
In President Ruto’s recent government changes following a wave of Gen Z protests, the PSs were not affected.
Only CSs were affected as President Ruto dissolved the Cabinet.
Ruto later kicked out 11 CSs from his inaugural Cabinet as he formed a broad-based government that brought on board allies of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Five of Raila’s allies in ODM were the biggest beneficiaries of the cabinet changes.
Hassan Joho was appointed CS for Mining and Blue Economy, Wycliffe Oparanya(Cooperatives), Opiyo Wandayi(Energy and Petroleum), John Mbadi(National Treasury) and Beatrice Askul of East African Community.
