President William Ruto eventually kicked out rebellious
Public Service Cabinet Secretary
Justin Muturi in a mini reshuffle but
retained the job in the sacked minister’s clan.
The Cabinet changes came as the
President dispatched several allies
to the restive Mt Kenya region to
prepare the ground ahead of his
tour starting next week.
Ruto gave Muturi’s job to Mbeere
North MP Geoffrey Ruku — a Muturi ally who was elected on a DP
ticket — triggering a by-election
that would test his political strength
in Mt Kenya.
The widow of Baringo Senator
William Cheptumo, Hanna Cheptumo, was also nominated for a
Cabinet job as the CS for Gender,
Culture, the Arts and Heritage.
In the changes, the President
swapped two CSs, moving Deborah Barasa from the controversial
Health docket to the Ministry of
Environment, Climate Change and
Forestry.
Aden Duale, who has been the CS
in charge of Environment, will now
take charge at Afya House, where
the government is implementing
a multibillion-shilling universal
health cover through the Social
Health Authority.
Ruto had postponed Muturi’s
sacking to a later date after his Mt
Kenya visit.
However, insiders say
Muturi provoked the President by
firing back after the head of state
said he was “fairly incompetent”
while serving as Attorney General.
“I had a problem with the AG
who was there. He was fairly incompetent, but now I have a very
competent lady, and I can assure
you the issues of Waqf will be sorted
out,” Ruto told Muslim leaders, explaining the delay in the creation of
the Muslim Endowment Fund.
Muturi, who has been at loggerheads with Ruto following the abduction of his son by the National
Intelligence Service, shot back, saying the Waqf Act does not provide
for the creation of a Muslim fund.
“Under the Waqf Act No 8 of
2022, there is no provision for a
Muslim Endowment Fund. It must
be understood that a Waqf is a religious, charitable or benevolent endowment by a person who professes the Muslim faith and is managed
by the Waqf Commission,” Muturi
stated.
As he made the changes, Ruto
dispatched MPs, governors and top
state officials to prepare the ground
for his Mt Kenya visit.
In anticipation of his visit, large
billboards welcoming the President
have been erected in major towns
across Mt Kenya including Kiambu, Nyeri, Kirinyaga, along Thika Road, and in Embu.
The Star has
established that Ruto will be hosting several pro-government MPs
from the region at State House today or Friday– a meeting believed to
be part of mobilisation to ensure a
warm reception.
“It is true, the President will host
the legislators from the region either
tomorrow (Thursday) or Friday,” a
State House source told the Star.
The planned State House meeting
follows a series of such meetings
with the area elected leaders ahead
of the visit.
Twice this month, the President has hosted governors and MPs on
separate events at State House.
On Monday, Ruto held another
meeting with at least five Cabinet
Secretaries and 13 Principal Secretaries from the region to finalise
preparations.
Eight governors attended the
State House meeting, except Nyeri
Governor Mutahi Kahiga, a close
ally of Gachagua.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika
was also absent but sent an apology.
The President’s programme,
though not officially released, is expected to run throughout the week
with a focus on commissioning development projects.
He is expected to hit the ground
in the vote-rich region from Tuesday next week – the first visit to the
area since the impeachment of his former deputy Rigathi Gachagua.
A schedule seen by the Star indicates Ruto will on Tuesday traverse
Laikipia county where he will tour
development projects in Rumuruti.
In the afternoon, Ruto will commission the Gikamba last mile electrification programme in Kieni.
The following day, the head of
state will be in Meru County for a
whirlwind of activities, including the commissioning of Nkuene subcounty in Imenti South.
According to the tentative schedule, Ruto’s entourage will cross to the neighbouring
Kirinyaga county.
Some of the projects lined up for
launching in Kirinyaga include the flagging off of the AfD/EU/EIB projects in the Kagio market.
On Wednesday, the President will
pitch camp in Nyandarua county, starting with Ol Kalou and later
in the afternoon, crossing over to Murang’a county.
Last week, State House dispatched Deputy Chief of Staff Eliud
Owalo to the region for project inspection ahead of the visit.
On Friday, Owalo was in Murang’a, where he conducted an inspection and verification of various national government projects.
“In my capacity as Deputy Chief
of Staff, Performance and Delivery
Management in the Executive of ce
of the President, I joined of cers
from the Government Delivery Unit
(GDU) on an inspection tour of key
national development projects in
Murang’a county,” Owalo told the
Star on Friday.
The projects Owalo inspected included the Sh312 million Maragua
Ridge Irrigation Project in Kamahuha.
Owalo is also scheduled to visit
the Sh1.8 billion affordable housing
project in Makuyu, Murang’a county, in the course of the week.
From Murang’a, the President
will head to Tharaka Nithi county, where he will commission last mile
connectivity projects.
In the last few days, there have
been visible preparations across the
region with local leaders actively
engaging residents to rally support
ahead of the visit.
In Gachagua’s home constituency of Mathira, MP Eric Wamumbi
has been traversing the constituency
rallying residents ahead of the tour.
A massive billboard featuring
images of the President, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki and
Wamumbi has been put up in the town, emblazoned with the message
“Karibu Mlima” (Welcome to the
Mountain).
“We are ready to welcome the
President here in Wamunyoro. As
Wamunyoro, we have decided to be
in the government because it is God
who chooses leaders,” Wamumbi
said.
“And, therefore, I never want to
hear anyone speak ill of that village
(Wamunyoro). If anyone has a problem with an individual who comes
from there, they should address the
person by their name but not the
good village of Wamunyoro.”
North MP Geoffrey Ruku said:
“President Ruto is going to Mt Kenya to present his scorecard for the
past two years. He will outline what
he promised and delivered, focusing
on development politics, not tribal
or ethnic politics.”
In neighbouring Nyandarua,
Woman Representative Faith Gatua
has escalated grassroots mobilisation efforts in the county.
Gachagua’s allies have also welcomed the President to the area,
challenging him to address
thorny issues affecting the Mt Kenya region.
Gatanga MP Edward Muriu said
the thorny issues touch on political
inclusion and economic development.
“We want to welcome the President to the mountain because we
gave him 89 per cent of our votes, but we want him to know that
nothing has been happening in our
region since he was last here,” Muriu said.
“I know I have been labelled as
a ‘gitungati’(term used to refer to
Gachagua’s allies,) but I’m not in the
opposition. If I don’t tell the government when I see things going wrong
somewhere, I’ll be failing in my role
as an MP.”