David Ohito
22 April 2008
Nairobi — Furious reactions greeted President Kibaki's choice of permanent secretaries, with the ODM wing of Government crying foul.
There were protests that the changes in the Civil Service were cosmetic and that old PSs had been recycled and they were likely to drag the reform agenda of the coalition Government.
Like it happened after the naming of the Cabinet a week ago, voices grumbled and murmured that the distribution of PSs was skewed in favour of some communities. An ODM Cabinet minister claimed that President Kibaki had shortchanged the party in the appointment of ministries' chief executives on Monday.
The minister, who did not want his name disclosed so as not to ruffle the coalition, said ODM had been outwitted again, and that the retention of retirees would undermine the momentum of reforms.
"We are disappointed. We have a challenge to deliver a new Constitution by February 2009 and carry out institutional and judicial reforms which have been frustrated by the same civil servants," the minister claimed.
He was of the opinion that many of the retained permanent secretaries needed to be "schooled" on reform and service in a coalition.
But the minister said he had no problem with the Head of the Civil Service, Mr Francis Muthaura, for the purposes of baby-sitting the coalition and transition, but said he should quit once he had midwifed the coalition.
"One of the challenges is to create equal opportunities for all Kenyans in a bid to heal the country. But if top PSs are from Mt Kenya and we want to address imbalance and injustice, we cheat ourselves," he claimed.
It is a big joke
On his part, and ODM Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Ababu Namwamba, who is also the Budalang'i MP, said: "I expected young blood and fresh ideas. I am appalled at the number of retirees retained in Government. They should quit."
He said the President's changes were cosmetic and failed to balance the appointments.
"It is a big joke. We will not let it pass unchallenged. We will raise the issues on the floor of Parliament and demand justification of retaining retirees in the Civil Service," Namwamba said
The MP said the party was losing because appointments did not allegedly reflect the 50-50 power-sharing, adding that it posed problems for the Orange party ahead of six by-elections.
"What will we tell voters as we campaign for ODM? We had half a loaf, but others were not considered at all?" he asked
He cautioned that party structures be strengthened countrywide.
The MP singled out Finance, Trade, Energy, Public Health and Justice, National Cohesion and Constitutional Affairs ministries, saying they were dominated by one community.
Demoted Cabinet minister, Dr Wilfred Machage, now an assistant minister, and leaders from the Meru region also cried foul, saying the PS slots did not reflect "the face of Kenya".
Machage said his Kuria community deserved compensation for his demotion as a Cabinet minister. Though he welcomed the appointment of Mr Simeon Chache Nyangi as Permanent Secretary, he said the Kuria deserved more slots.
Speaking for the first time over his demotion, Machage lamented: "I was unfairly demoted. As a community, we should be given more slots to compensate the taking away of the flag from me and end marginalisation of the Kuria by successive governments."
The former East Africa Cooperation Affairs minister, now an Assistant minister for Roads, said he was not bitter.
"Even though the prerogative to appoint and disappoint rests with the executive authority, it is clear that the Kuria, whom I represent, were sacrificed for leaders from other communities."
Machage, however, said he was ready to serve the coalition Government and his people as an assistant minister.
Meru cries foul
In Meru, political and religious leaders claimed that the Meru region had been given a raw deal in Cabinet and senior Civil Service appointments.
Ameru Leaders Forum Chairman, Bishop Dr Lawi Imathiu, said: "Instead of getting an extra slot in the Cabinet and two assistant ministers, we were deprived of one Assistant minister slot. Equally, no Permanent Secretary was appointed from the region. Instead two, Mr Cyrus Gituai (Internal Security) and Mr Gerishon Ikiara (Transport), were removed."
North Imenti MP, Mr Silas Muriuki, Maendeleo ya Wanawake Chairlady, Mrs Joyce Muriuki, and more than 70 councillors from Nyambene and Meru councils, too, joined in the grumbling over alleged failure of President Kibaki to make senior appointments from the Meru region.
- Additional reporting by Beauttah Omanga and Patrick Muriungi
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