News that President Uhuru Kenyatta apparently trimmed DP Ruto’s powers in favour of Interior CS Fred Matiang’i will surely not go well with Ruto’s foot soldiers.
Ruto and his supporters are yet to comment on the recent changes in government but political talk has it that the DP is still not buying to Uhuru’s new idea and latest developments.
Matiang’i will take charge of the implementation and monitoring of all development projects initiated and funded by the national government through a new Cabinet sub-committee.
This has brought the Cabinet Secretary to the core of the executive leaving many people to wonder the role DP William Ruto will now have in government.
Is Ruto now just a ceremonial Deputy President?
The sub-committee formed by President Kenyatta will be known as the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee. It brings on board all CSs, Attorney General Kihara Kariuki and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua.
With this new committee, monitoring and implementation of government projects will be done straight from the grassroots.
With this in mind, MPs who used to flock Ruto’s home and Karen office will have to change tact and lobby for projects from elsewhere and in this case from CS Matiang’i who as we know will not entertain any mediocre projects meant go give people political mileage.
In a new executive order, Uhuru established four powerful committees with Matiang’i at the helm.
The Matiangi-led National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee will report directly to the President.
It would provide overall supervisory leadership throughout the delivery circle of all national government’s programmes and projects.
The President’s move is seen as a deliberate strategy to take charge of his legacy projects, especially the Big Four Agenda, coming just days after a storm in his Central Kenya backyard that he had neglected the region.
Ruto who has been the face of monitoring and commissioning of government projects is reportedly in bad books with the powerful Matiang’i. It remains unclear how the two would relate going forward, with the DP known to be traversing the country nearly every weekend to dish out development goodies.
Does the appointment of Matiang’i belittle DP Ruto?