By Metro News Team
Jitters and anxiety have gripped top echelons of President William Ruto’s administration over a looming major reorganization to accommodate opposition leader Raila Odinga’s interests.
Sources indicate that Principals Secretaries (PSs) would be the major casualties in the pending changes.
Metro News has since established the emergence of intense lobbying among PSs for retention.
Individuals eyeing to join Kenya Kwanza administration are also said to have joined the fray in reaching out to both President Ruto and Raila.
Interior PS Raymond Omollo are some of the PSs said to be aggressively reaching out to Raila so as to retain his plum position.
At the weekend, Omollo hosted several ODM members at his Homa Bay rural home in what sources said are part of the ongoing lobbying.
It is understood that Raila is likely to have the final say in any appointments from his political bastion of Nyanza, Western and Coast.
The fears by Omollo and other government honchos is informed by the recent reorganization of the Cabinet where Cabinet Secretaries from Raila’s backyards were fired and replaced by ODM members.
President Ruto in July reorganized his Cabinet by incorporating Raila’s close allies among them John Mbadi (National Treasury), Hassan Joho (Blue Economy), Opiyo Wandayi (Energy) and Wycliffe Oparanya (Cooperatives).
Former CSs Eliud Owalo (ICT) and Aisha Jumwa (Gender) were some of the ministers who were sacrificed to accommodate allies of Raila.
Further, the recent impeachment of Mr Rigathi Gachagua as Deputy President, and subsequent elevation of Prof Kithure Kindiki from the Interior docket to being the country’s second-in-command will also occasion changes in the Cabinet.
In the changes expected any time soon, the President is expected to fill vacant ministerial positions and also shuffle PSs across. Gachagua allies are likely to be kicked out.
The Ministry of Gender, Arts and Culture is vacant after the National Assembly rejected President Ruto’s nomination of Stella Soi Lang’at in August.
Following the elevation of Prof Kindiki, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration is vacant. Ruto appointed Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi as acting Interior CS.
This means President Ruto will make at least two Cabinet nominations. The Constitution provides a minimum of 14 Cabinet Secretaries and a maximum of 22, excluding the president, deputy president and the Attorney General.
