President Uhuru Kenyatta’s decision to appoint Interior CS Fred Matiang’i as his chief minister continues to elicit different reactions from Kenyans. On Tuesday, the President through an Executive Order named Matiang’i the Chairman of of the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee.
Most people have interpreted this new decision as a move to cut the powers of Deputy President William Ruto. Ruto has no role in the powerful Cabinet committee that reports directly to the President.
And now Embakasi East MP Babu Owino believes that Ruto is a Deputy President without portfolio. The controversial legislator who is an ODM loyalist tweeted the same on his Twitter handle.
Deputy President without Portfolio ?
— Babu Owino (@Babu_Owino) January 23, 2019
DP Ruto’s supporters however feel that the noisemaking about Matiang’i is just meant to raise political tension. As the DP, Ruto’s roles are stipulated in the constitution. He is part of the Presidency and Matiang’i will still be answerable to him.
The Constitution places Dr Ruto, in his capacity as Deputy President, as the principal assistant to the President. Whether this move turns him into a lame-duck DP or will halt his presidential campaign machine, which has made considerable progress at the grassroots in the name of inspecting development projects, remains to be seen.