Intense Lobbying for Cabinet Appointments as President Uhuru Begins His Final Term

Intense lobbying for key appointments to the cabinet has characterized the past few days as President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto embark on constituting a team to implement their second term agenda.

The president is said to be burning midnight oil to constitute a team of Cabinet Secretaries and Principal Secretaries to help the Jubilee government deliver its pledges to Kenyans.

Leaders from Kajiado county are vouching for one of their own to take the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government and have urged the president to reserve the key post to the Maa community.

The seat was held by former Kajiado Central Member of Parliament Joseph Nkaissery before his sudden death weeks to the August 8th election. Fred Matiang'i took over the post after Nkaissery's death on an acting capacity.

The leaders further argue that the President should reward the community for its loyalty demonstrated by the voting pattern in the nullified August 8th poll.

Senate Deputy Speaker Kithure Kindiki has however said that the lobbying must stop and urged leaders to allow the president to decide on who to appoint.

“Not everyone will make it in the cabinet but those who will be left out will be given other jobs in parastatals or foreign envoys,” Kindiki said.

In Tharaka Nithi, local politicians led by area Governor Muthomi Njuki are also lobbying to get a piece of the cake. The leaders claim the region has been sidelined during such appointments despite their unequivocal support for Uhuru.

Regional and ethnic diversity, gender balance, political loyalty and 2022 succession politics are some of the factors the President will be grappling with in picking his appointees.