I have heard some people suggest that President Uhuru Kenyatta is preparing Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i to succeed him in 2022. To justify this, they cite the remarks he made while on a tour of Nyeri. Uhuru said that when the right time comes, he will make his stand known and his choice will shock many.
So when he elevated Matiang’i to chair the National Development Implementation and Communication Cabinet Committee, many interpreted this to mean the CS could be one of his favourite choices. But for now these claims cannot be ascertained.
For me, the decision by the President had nothing to do with the succession. It was rather meant to appoint one of his allies, who would work closely with CSs and other top Government officials in ensuring he realises his legacy.
The implementation of his ‘Big Four’ tops his agenda. Though under the new Constitution the presidency is composed of two holders – the President and his deputy – most Kenyans are yet to grasp and accept this reality. They believe if things go wrong, the buck stops with the President.
If those sabotaging Uhuru’s agenda – God forbid – would have their way, one would expect a number of scenarios to come up.
In a classic case of betrayal, the Jubilee MPs leaning towards DP Ruto are likely to abandon the President and turn the narrative of his ‘failures’ into DP’s favour. Look, the DP was not in charge and ‘hehad been sidelined’ by the Uhuru camp. If you elect him, he would do ‘better’.
Again, if Uhuru succeeds, they would capitalize on this to drum support for the DP. They are likely to say this. Kenyatta succeeded because the DP supported the ‘Big Four’ agenda. The DP was his chief adviser and so he played his constitutional role of being principal assistant to him very well.
So, whichever the outcome, it will be a win-win for them. To me, the President was fully aware of this. That is why he picked Matiang’i to supervise and oversee the implementation of national programmes and projects. He could no longer trust the DP’s allies because their minds were focused on succession politics.
Since he was appointed in 2013, Matiang’i has become a household name because of his no nonsense stand and commitment to work. This has earned him trust and confidence from the President. Yes, for now, it is not known whether Matiang’i is harboring presidential ambitions. But if he opts to run, I want to disagree with those saying he does not pose any threat. He could pull a surprise.
Sample this; he is the most favored candidate, fronted by key players in Jubilee and opposition, would you tell me he won’t make? Having curved a niche for himself and coupled with this support, he stands a very high chance of winning.