You have failed Kenyans, again, Mudavadi tells Uhuru

Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi has criticised President Uhuru Kenyatta’s new 21-member Cabinet saying it does not represent the face of Kenya.

In a statement on Wednesday, Mr Mudavadi also said that the line-up did not meet the two third gender rule.

The former Deputy Prime Minister also advised Mr Kenyatta against “poaching” elected leaders into the Cabinet saying it leads to unnecessary and costly by-elections.

President Kenyatta has nominated Kericho senator Charles Keter to head the Energy docket and Likoni MP Dan Kazungu as Mining Cabinet Secretary.

Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery was MP for Kajiado Central on an ODM ticket.

“The reshuffle didn’t change the platform Jubilee operates on. It was merely an issue of slotting individuals in a pre-determined TNA/URP line-up. The opportunity for an inclusive executive was once again missed,” said the ANC boss.

He noted that the newly reconstituted Cabinet released on Tuesday night by President Kenyatta failed to meet conditional quotas for regional and gender balance.

“In fact the women of Kenya have lost big,” said the former Premier.

“The one-third gender constitutional requirement has been broken. The original six women have been reduced to five in a Cabinet of twenty-one (including the Attorney General),” he said.

Mr Mudavadi asked Kenyans to ensure that the Jubilee coalition does not get a second term.

“I am so saddened when people refer to the Jubilee leadership as youthful as if to suggest they should be forgiven for the mistakes they make. The time has come for Kenyans to hold the Jubilee leadership to account to ensure they deliver on their promises and if they do not, voters should prepare to send them packing,” said Mr Mudavadi.

At the same time, Mr Mudavadi asked the Luhya community to back his Presidential bid for 2017 saying the country deserved a better and serious leadership to address the many challenges facing Kenyans.

He challenged Parliament to interrogate whether the newly reconstituted Cabinet meets the requirements of section 130 of the Constitution that requires the composition of the national executive to reflect the regional and ethnic diversity of the people of Kenya.

And speaking separately, Emurua Dikkir MP Johanna Ngeno asked authorities to prosecute the Cabinet secretaries who were sacked over corruption allegations.

“The fact that Mr Kenyatta did not bring back the five ministers who had been suspended over corruption allegations means they have a case to answer.

“And to bring justice to this country, we expect prosecution to follow and public money recovered,” said Mr Ngeno.

Those who were fired on Tuesday night are former Land minister Charity Ngilu, Mr Felix Koskei (Agriculture), David Chirchir (Energy), Anne Waiguru (Devolution) and Engineer Michael Kamau of Roads.

“The President still has a discretion to appoint one or two more women to address the gender gap. He can create a lighter cabinet slot for former Devolution CS Anne Waiguru who said she needed lighter duties,” said Mr Ngeno.