President Uhuru Kenyatta and deputy president William Ruto yesterday nominated four out of 18 cabinet secretaries. The nominees are Dr. Fred Okengo Matiang’i for the Ministry of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT), Mr. Henry K. Rotich for Cabinet Secretary in the National Treasury Ministry, Mr. James Wainaina Macharia for the Ministry of Health and Ambassador Amina Mohamed for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The nomination elicited reactions. A good number of Kenyans on social media including Kenyan main-stream media was awash with praise messages honoring Mr. Uhuru and his deputy Mr. Ruto for perceived classy and sassy way the duo revealed the four names. Some folks were excited about the “chemistry” between Uhuru and Ruto. Others were ecstatic because president Uhuru gave the press a rare chance to ask questions.
Yet others still were amazed because Uhuru and Ruto wore resembling shirts, ties and left press briefing room holding each other’s hand.
Kenyan talk show queen and host for the morning breakfast show on Kiss 100 Miss Caroline Mutoko captured the mood with amazement on her Facebook page. “I’m watching the naming of cabinet secretary with amazement…I like the whole “tuko kazi look.” The president and deputy president are spotting on-no jackets”, she opined.
However, in my opinion, such borderline excitement is misplaced. First and foremost, president Uhuru has a responsibility to name not just four cabinet secretaries but 18 with a sense of urgency. Responsibility that rests on the shoulders of cabinet secretaries cannot be gainsaid. It is critical that full cabinet be in place to begin work immediately.
Moreover, by giving the press a chance to ask questions; Mr. Uhuru and Mr. Ruto didn’t do Kenyans a favor. It is the president’s responsibility to be accountable to the public that provides his administration with every basic need. Our taxes pay salaries for president and his government.
As a matter of principle, the government is accountable to the public. The question we need to be asking is, why name 4 and not 18 cabinet secretaries?
Political pundits observe that jostling for posts and pandering to the vested interests are reasons behind incomplete list of cabinet secretaries.
Further, it is alleged that a pre-election memorandum of understanding between president’s TNA and deputy president’s URP parties including competing interests between diehard supporters on both sides is turning out to be a poisoned chalice that is slowly but surely become a bane in the way of realization of a stable government.
Unfortunately, president Uhuru is seemingly pandering to those vested interests. Mr. Uhuru should realize that he has a constitutional mandate to nominate cabinet secretaries without being taken captive of interests that may not necessarily be in line with the bigger interests of the Kenyan people. Kenyan interests supersede selfish and narrow interests of politicians.
Although president Uhuru is morally and to some extend legally bound by pre-election pacts, his number one priority should be to unite the country by naming an inclusive cabinet that will reflect the “face of Kenya.”
In a country with wanting homeland security, high rate of un-employment, wanting national cohesion and integration (tribalism), run-away corruption and poverty; it is inexcusable for the president to keep on procrastinating the urgent need to fill cabinet positions.
Former US president, Abraham Lincoln once said “leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today.” Full cabinet must be constituted urgently so as it can begin to discuss national agendas with a sense of urgency. Keeping the country in a guessing and speculating mood emits negative energy towards investors and destabilizes investor confidence. The country need to move forward.
Yet, the announcement of cabinet secretaries revealed two things about Kenyans. One, our expectations for our leaders are way too low. We need to boost our national self-esteem. We need to raise our standards and expect more from our leaders. Two, we know where we are but it seems we don’t know where we want to go or at least we have turned ourselves into master procrastinators of our own destiny.
If you ask me, time is of essence. Kenya must take off. I believe Mr. Ruto when he say there is no reason why Kenyan economy shouldn’t grow by double digits. We just need to know where we are, what we want and take off to where we want to be. That’s why president Uhuru should nominate all cabinet positions with a sense of urgency.
By Jacktone Ambuka, A Kenyan residing at State college Pennsylvania, USA.
Email: js******@ya***.com
