Uhuru appoints deputy chief of staff

President Uhuru Kenyatta (right) converses with Deputy President William Ruto during the opening of the Pastoralist Leadership Summit on March 11, 2016 in Isiolo County. PHOTO | PHOEBE OKALL | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The new status, it was understood, was meant to give Mr Waita the requisite powers and influence to push for the implementation of the pillar projects in the Jubilee manifesto.
  • He will also monitor the performance of key parastatals to ensure that service was delivered to the public and key projects implemented.

The Head of the Presidential Delivery Unit Nzioka Waita was on Friday handed more powers in the Jubilee administration after he was named deputy Chief of Staff at State House.

The new status, it was understood, was meant to give Mr Waita the requisite powers and influence to push for the implementation of the pillar projects in the Jubilee manifesto.

“President Uhuru Kenyatta has appointed Nzioka Siwadie Waita as the Deputy Chief of Staff with immediate effect, within the Executive Office of the President,” said State House spokesperson Manoah Esipisu in a statement.

As the deputy to Chief of Staff and Head of Public Service Joseph Kinyua, Mr Waita was also given powers over the way taxes were levied to raise revenue for the projects, which are key to the Jubilee administration.

He will also monitor the performance of key parastatals to ensure that service was delivered to the public and key projects implemented.

“In this role, Mr Waita shall deputise the Chief of Staff and Head of the Public Service, Mr Joseph Kinyua, in discharging his mandate including but not limited to delivery of key flagship projects, performance contracting, managing the co–ordination of the president’s fiscal priorities in liaison with the Ministry of National Treasury and effective oversight of state sorporations,” Mr Esipisu said.

Sources said President Kenyatta was seeking ways to expedite the completion of key projects, among them the delivery of laptops to primary schools, the Standard Gauge Railway and connection of power to public schools before the next elections.

That task hinges on the effectiveness of the unit, which Mr Waita heads, as it was understood the President has been frustrated by the rate at which some senior civil servants were playing their role.

“Mr Waita’s appointment is in line with the President’s commitment to strengthen the capacity and responsiveness of the Executive Office of the President.”

He was poached from Safaricom in April last year where he had distinguished himself as a Mr-Fix-It for the mobile provider’s chief executive officer Bob Collymore with the sole duty to streamline operations within government.

Cabinet Secretaries revealed that President Kenyatta introduced Mr Waita to them as “my man” who was to head the PDU, which is based at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC). Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair consults for the PDU.

However, since he was not part of the mainstream civil service, Mr Waita faced a lot of hurdles in getting ministries to heed his instructions unless he had orders from Mr Kinyua.