Cabinet to be made up of 22 ministries
The new Cabinet will have 22 ministries, Head of Public Service Francis Kimemia has said.
Mr Kimemia, who chairs the Committee on the Assumption to the Office of President, said his team and President-elect Uhuru Kenyatta had agreed on the new structure.
He said 21 proposed ministries had been identified, leaving one slot for the President to fill. “We gave a detailed briefing on the new government structures and the number of ministries. The proposals, especially the names, are yet to be adopted,” Mr Kimemia said.
He said the committee had also briefed the President-elect on the new Cabinet’s Constitutional obligations.
The youth appear to be the biggest beneficiaries in the new structure of government where related ministries have been merged and strengthened.
Article 152 of the Constitution says Cabinets will comprise between 14 and 22 secretaries — the new name for ministers.
Mr Kimemia, however, said the minimum 14 ministries was not possible because of the size of the economy. “We need a government that will provide services to all, separate power, that will be innovative and at the same time remain lean,” Mr Kimemia said.
The President, his deputy and Attorney-General will also be part of the Cabinet, whose other members will not hold elective seats.
In a day full of activity, Mr Kenyatta and his deputy, Mr William Ruto, also met President Kibaki for the first time since they were elected. The meeting took place at the Office of the President.
In the afternoon, Mr Kenyatta went to The Treasury.
He was briefed by Finance Minister Njeru Githae, Permanent Secretary Joseph Kinyua and Salaries and Remuneration Commission chairperson Sarah Serem on the implications of salary adjustments to the fiscus and whether there would be money left over for development after the government workers’ wage bill had been settled.
