Political analysts have said the recent reorganization of President Uhuru Kenyatta’s Cabinet has indirectly dealt a blow to William Ruto ahead of the 2022 General Election.
In a gazette notice on September 29, the Head of State announced changes in a number of ministries in Kenya where some of Cabinet secretaries allied to the deputy president and principal secretaries were moved to other dockets.
As part of the reshuffle, Energy CS Charles Keter was moved from Energy to Devolution in a cabinet shuffle that the analyst said was meant to politically suppress his deputy president William Ruto.
Political analyst Mark Bichachi says that moving Keter from Energy is an indirect blow to the deputy president since the move will deny him the billions of shillings he has been controlling.
“Of course that is a political whip for Keter where apart from being Ruto’s closest ally from the Rift Valley region, the energy ministry oversees a very important government department that apart from generating electricity, the department generates billions of shillings for the government,” Bichache told the Daily Nation.
The analyst further argues that apart from denying Ruto’s allies money, the move is also aimed at undermining Keter’s political influence ahead of the crucial 2022 General Elections.
“By transferring him to the Devolution ministry, the Head of State did not want to be seen as directly dehorning William Ruto because, despite efforts to technically kick him out, the president is paying close attention to political stability, especially as the 2022 elections approach,” he said.
The changes that were announced on Wednesday, September 29, further saw Monica Juma moved from Defence to Energy and Eugene Wamalwa from Devolution to Defence.
The powerful docket of social protection, pensions and senior citizens was moved from the Ministry of Labour and will now be domiciled at the public service ministry.
Political analyst Javas Bigambo says Chelgui’s labor minister, who is a close associate of the deputy president, has been stripped of half of his ministry.
“As it stands now, Chelgui is as if he has been left out of the ministry. At present the ministry is not as important as it once was,” Bigambo said.
